Eternal Night
by crazililwabbit
Summary: Plagued by nightmares her whole life and finally free from her prison of twenty years, Vilvyni finds herself being cared for by the Dark Brotherhood's Keeper. Will their paths reveal themselves to be more entwined than it first seems? - This is a part of the Seal Upon Your Heart series, all placed in Skyrim, if you enjoy it please take the time to read the others as well! Cicero/OC
1. The Whisper

As far back as I can remember I have dreamed. The dreams that I remember are always devoid of color, save a rich, dark crimson. When I was little my mother use to stroke my hair, soothing me after a nightmare saying:

"_They are a gift from Sithis my dear. You must bear these nightmares; they will lead you to your future."_

Later, after I was taken from my mother I would hear that name again.

_I cowered in the corner of my cage, freshly awoken from another nightmare. Shaking and trying not to cry I could hear my Master and Sir talking between themselves._

"_Do you think it's a good idea to keep her around?" Sir would ask Master._

"_Of course! Why?" Master would continue to stuff meat into his mouth._

"_She cursed by Sithis, that one." Sir would look over his shoulder at me and I couldn't place the emotion in his eyes_.

The dreams were my only constant in the years after I was taken from my mother. At first I thought my constant was the pain and cruelty I felt at Master and Sir's hands, but soon even that changed. As I grew their treatment of me during the day and when others were around was the same, but at night when I was alone they would crawl into my cage and slowly run their fingers along my skin. They would tell me how pretty I was and that I would learn to love them. I would lie there, allowing them to share what they called 'love' with me while I tried to remember what the night sky looked like.

It was after one of these nights, when Sir had rolled off me and fallen asleep next to me on the floor of my cage that I first heard the voice that was from my dreams.

"Killlll himmm." It hissed my ear. I shook my head, thinking I was dreaming.

"Send him to me, my child." The man's voice was echoing clearly through the cave, but it didn't seem to bother the sleeping Master or Sir.

I sat up and looked down at Sir. His pants were still thrown to the side, with a small dagger hanging out of its sheath.

I straddled Sir, watching his eyes blink awake. "What are you doing?" He grunted, reaching up for me.

I shook my head no slowly and pinned his arms under my knees. "No touching." I allowed a wicked smile to stretch across my face.

Although there was uneasiness marked in his eyes, he smiled as well. "I see. I told you that you would come to love me."

Licking my lips I pressed a finger onto his mouth. "Shhh…" I hissed as I began to rock my hips, rubbing myself against him. He groaned in response and I could feel him pulsing a growing larger under me. I continued to rock, waiting for my chance. Eventually he closed his eyes in pleasure and I ever so slowly leaned down to grasp the dagger. Once I had it firmly in my hand I stopped rocking. Sir's eyes opened and he looked at me in confusion. In one swift movement I covered his mouth and slit his throat. He tried to move under me, but he was losing blood fast, it wasn't long before he couldn't even lift his arms. I loosened my grip on his mouth and leaned in close.

"Sithis is coming for you." I whispered. "Do you hear him?" I could see the same emotion in his eyes that I would always see when he mentioned the Dark Lord, but this time I realized what it was, what he had always looked at me with; fear. I dipped my fingers into the pool of blood that was covering the floor and wiped them on his chin. "Now you will serve the Dark Lord in the Void." I laughed lightly as I pushed myself off of him and stood over him, watching the life drain from him.

I smiled as I left my cage, the only other person in the cave was Master and he had drunken himself into a deep sleep. I watched him sleep for a time, the rise and fall of his chest, the twitching of his dreams and the hands that had caused me so much pain. I enjoyed watching the dark crimson liquid pour from his neck as well. I enjoyed it so much that I began to laugh again, the laughter felt like a sickness that invaded my body. As I sat in the dark cave, covered in their blood I could feel my connection to the Dark Lord, the connection that had always been my one constant.

* * *

I had been walking for miles and the thin tunic I had pulled over myself wasn't doing anything to keep me warm. I hadn't moved much from my cage for the past twenty years and I had begun to feel the fatigue in my limbs almost immediately, but I knew I needed to put distance between myself and that cave.

The feeling under my feet changed and I recognized the road from when I used to travel before Master and Sir kept me in that cage. Half-conscious from exertion, hunger and the cold I stumbled along the road until I could hear a horse behind me.

"Please!" I called, falling to my knees. "Please help me."

The man stopped the horse and dismounted. He grabbed my arm and lifted me to my feet.

"Oh my." He giggled. "What has Cicero found?"

I frowned. I wasn't sure what he was asking. My vision was darkening and my thoughts were muggy. "Vilvyni." I mumbled. "My name is Vilvyni."

* * *

**Okay, so I have added another story to the series even though I haven't posted or finished others. I just hope you enjoy Vilvyni and Cicero as much as I do. :) Remember that this story is one in the _Seal Upon My Heart_ series, so if you enjoy it try reading some of the others. :)**

** - Crazililwabbit**


	2. The Beginning

_I reveled in the feeling of the grass beneath my bare feet. The night air was crisp and clean, burning my lungs. I stopped in a field and looked up to the stars; I couldn't get enough of looking at the night sky. The stars were beautiful, but seemed larger than normal. It was as if someone had reached up, grasped the sky itself and pulled it closer to us. I was so enraptured by the sky that I didn't even notice the nude Dunmer woman approach me. Startled, I took a step back and locked eyes with her._

_She was more beautiful than I could have imagined a woman could be. Her skin was a wonderful shade of dark gray-blue and her red eyes were wider than a normal Dunmer, I couldn't look away from her. _

"_Do not be frightened my child." She smiled at me, producing a dagger from behind her back. "You will find your path in time." She raked the dagger up her forearm, producing an outpouring of blood onto the ground. As I watched the blood pool on the ground it looked less and less like blood. I knelt down and reached out to it. What I touched wasn't warm or a liquid. I picked up the crimson silk robe, and turned it over in my hands._

"_It's for you." She smiled at me. "Now that you have found your way to my side you belong to Sithis."_

_I pulled the robe on, feeling the coolness of the fabric against my bare skin. Looking back into her eyes I could hear the same laughter that had filled me when I was in the cave. The laughter grew, louder and louder until I had to cover my ears._

"_Purify what belongs to me." She bellowed over the laughter. "Cleanse it."_

I couldn't get my eyes to open, my eyelids were too heavy; yet I was coming out of consciousness very quickly. With my eyes still closed I tried to listen to the noises that were becoming clearer to me.

"Why did Cicero bring her here?" The same voice I had heard before. "Good question… very good question." The same giggling, "She is pretty, very pretty; like a flower. Yes, yes that is why Cicero brings her here. A gift for Mother, like the pretty, pretty flowers."

I tried to open my eyes again and call out to the voice. Everything was a blur of light, but my movement and awkward vocalizations seemed to get the attention of the man who had been speaking.

"Waking?!" He squealed. I felt fingers touching mine, they were gloved but with something soft unlike the rough hide gloves Master and Sir wore. "Pretty flower is waking up!" The voice sang as it took my hand.

"Wh…" I still couldn't make out distinct things, but I was beginning to see shapes and shadows. "Where…"

"It wants to know where?" He asked. "Deep in the arms of sanctuary, where the Mother and Cicero have made their home with our small family, with the serious Redguard and un-child."

I scrunched up my face, he wasn't making any sense.

"I don't understand." I managed to croak.

As if he was ignoring me he began to trail his fingers along my arms. I blinked my eyes, forcing them to focus. Slowly I began to get a clearer image of the man standing over me. He looked much like Master and Sir in the sense that he wasn't a Mer, Orc or Khajit. He had medium length red hair that was smoothed back and tucked behind his ears. His features were sharp, but not unattractive and I found myself staring at him. I was caught off guard when he turned his golden eyes towards mine and he seemed equally startled to see me looking back.

"Err… Umm…" He stood up and pulled away. "Flower is awake." I could see blush burning in his cheeks. "Cicero brought the flower clothes, but doesn't know how to properly dress a lady."

"Th…" I pushed myself up onto my elbows; my head felt as though it was splitting in two and my heart was pounding in my ears. "Thank you." It was then that I realized the reason for the man's blush.

"Why am I naked?" Really, it didn't bother me. I had spent half of my life naked or at least half-naked in front of people I didn't know.

"Flower was bathed in blood and her foul smelling tunic didn't suit her petals." The man motioned to a bowl filled with dirty water and a few rags. "Cicero cared for her petals, just like he cares for Mother's."

I frowned again. I understood that this man had taken me in, bathed me and had provided me with new clothes; but I didn't understand his ramblings about the people named Cicero and Mother. "Thank you." Was all I could think of to say.

He smiled, a small but sincere smile. "Cicero is happy to help the flower."

"Vilvyni." I stood up, making my way to the dress he had draped over a chair. "I told you my name is Vilvyni."

"Vilvyni…" He said it slowly, sounding out each syllable. "It's a pretty name; befitting a pretty flower."

Now I was the one to blush. "Thank you." Again I found myself rather at a loss for words.

The dress he had provided for me was the most beautiful I had ever seen. It was made from black and crimson silk. It felt just like the robe in my dream as I pulled it down over my head, indulging in the feeling of the cool, smooth cloth against my bare skin. The skirt found its way to just above my ankles and the sleeves just below my elbows. The lacing up the back however I couldn't do on my own. Pulling my hair over my shoulder I turned my back to the man. "Could you?"

"Oh yes, yes." I could hear him make his way across the room. Again, his gloved hands where against my skin, this time they traveled down my back. "Vilvyni's skin has seen many sharp pains and hot burns." He whispered.

I bit my bottom lip. I knew my skin was scarred; having lived with the ones who had inflicted those scars it had never bothered me, but now that this man was noticing them I felt ashamed of them for the first time.

He finished lacing up the back of my dress. "I must take you to visit Mother." He stated, turning me around. "She will be pleased to meet you." He smiled at me.

"Oh," I couldn't meet his eyes. "Okay."

"M'lady." He bowed with an exaggerated flourish, and upon standing reached for my hand.

I forced an awkward smile and took his hand. He led me out the small doorway and down a long hall. The hall spilled into a round room with a wooden bridge handing in the middle of it. I was so in awe of the vastness of the room and was trying to decide how they had hung that bridge there when I heard a small voice behind me.

"Cicero, is this the girl you were telling us about?" I turned around to see a small girl looking up at me.

"Hello." She smiled, showing her fangs. Her eyes were a lovely crimson color rimmed in gold, and her skin was so pale it was reminiscent of paper. I couldn't help but smile back.

"You are beautiful." I replied.

She giggled. "It is nice of you to say so. Not many look at a vampire and see beauty."

"Then they don't see what I see." I continued to smile.

She pursed her lips, but they remained in a smile. "Cicero wasn't wrong, you are small; very small. How many summers are you?"

"Twenty-six, I think." I shrugged. "Last time I was outside of the cave, I was six summers."

"Your body doesn't look older than seventeen summers, maybe eighteen." She walked around me. "You were kept in a cave, you said? For almost twenty years?"

"Yes…" I stammered, watching her circle me.

"Not by your family, I imagine." She stopped in front of me.

"By Master and Sir." My smile faded at the mention of their names.

"I see." She frowned. "I have no doubt your body has suffered from severe malnutrition. This is probably the largest you will grow."

I wasn't sure what she meant. I had noticed changes in my body and I thought I looked like a woman. I was certainly more grown in physique than her.

She smiled. "It's no matter. For I have been this size for over three hundred years and I have managed just fine."

"That is a long time." I smiled again.

"Yes." She met my eyes.

"The un-child asks too many questions." The man hummed. "Makes Cicero's head hurt."

"Have you learned no new information from these questions?" She snapped at him. "Like that our new friend here was kept captive by someone for over twenty years?"

"Vilvyni." I murmured.

The child looked at me, confused.

"My name is Vilvyni." I murmured again.

"Babette." Her smile returned. "I am Babette."

"Who is that?" I asked, pointing to the man.

She looked at him and back at me, bursting into laughter. "You didn't gather from his speech, did you?" She hugged her sides. "This jester is Cicero."

"Cicero." I breathed. I had heard him refer to Cicero over and over, but I didn't think he meant himself. I looked to the man only to find him slouched, hands behind his back looking very unhappy. "I am sorry." Reached out and placed my fingers on his shoulder. "I didn't realize you were talking about yourself." Again his eyes locked with mine and blush burned in his cheeks. I quickly removed my fingers.

"I need to speak with Nazir about a contract." Babette had wiped her eyes and was turning away from us, heading down a hall perpendicular to the one we had taken. "Vilvyni," She turned once more to look at me. "It was nice meeting you."

Once she had left and we were alone again Cicero's smile returned and he bowed again. "Cicero, the fool of hearts, is here to serve Vilvyni, the flower." I returned his smile. "Come." He stood and took my arm. "Cicero wishes for you to meet Mother."

* * *

**I hope you all enjoyed this latest story as it unwinds. :) I hope to get more out soon!**


	3. The Binding Words

Cicero led me up the wide, spiral stone steps. I found myself crossing the wooden bridge that had been hung in the upper part of the round room I was in previously. I panicked slightly at the idea of crossing this bridge. I wasn't sure about the feeling of the ground moving beneath me; but Cicero gingerly coaxed me across with smiles and encouraging words. His warmth was new to me, besides my mother and Jordgen no one had ever been this kind to me.

It wasn't long before we ended up in a small area with a tall cylinder sarcophagus in the corner. The sarcophagus was on a stone platform of sorts and had been rested up on its side so it stood taller even than Cicero. He led me right up to the large metal cylinder. I reached out and touched it, the silver was warm as though there were heat radiating from within it.

Cicero giggled to himself as he watched me trace the smooth lines that were etched into the sides of the sarcophagus. "Sweet Mother will be happy Cicero brought her such a pretty flower." He sang. "Here." He took hold of my shoulders and led me to stand about five feet in front of the platform. "Flower will wait here."

He undid a latch on the front of the sarcophagus and heaved open the heavy silver doors. I could see the smile on his face change at the sight of the corpse that had been secured to stand in the silver cylinder. He was still smiling, but it was darker, the smile of a mad man. "Dearest Mother," He cooed. "Loving Cicero has brought you a pretty flower." He bowed to the corpse. "Please, please be happy and let your voice be heard Sweet Mother."

"Her voice?" I furrowed my brow. I took a step closer to the corpse, squinting my eyes, trying to get a good look at her. "She was a dark elf." I realized.

"Yes!" Cicero squealed with joy. "Mother was the most lovely of Dunmer!"

I took another step closer. "I am sure she was." I smiled at him.

He was turned towards her, busying himself with adjusting her clothes, her hair or whatever else he found that needed to be fixed.

"For a long time there was only Cicero and the Night Mother." He was smoothing her hair back. "Yet the only one to speak was Cicero, the Mother was quiet. Cicero cared for her, sang to her and kept her safe. Yet she did not speak…" His voice had trailed off and he was staring at her. I had moved so I was standing next to him. His fingers were hovering just above her lips. "She has been quiet for so long. Cicero wishes only to hear the voice of his beloved Mother." His voice quivered and broke. I could see the sorrow on his face and my chest ached for him. I knew that feeling. Many nights I had cried myself to sleep, wishing only to see my mother once more. I would have given anything to hear her voice again, to have her hold me. Something deep within me was resonating with this broken man I saw in front of me.

I reached out and place my hand on his arm. It startled him, as if he had forgotten that I was there. "I am sure she will speak soon." I smiled softly.

He returned my small smile. "Yes." He hummed.

Suddenly a sharp pain shot through my head. "Ugh." I released his arm and covered my eyes.

"Flower is unwell?" I could hear a hint of concern in his voice.

I uncovered my eyes and smiled again. "No." I turned and stepped down from the platform. "Only tired." I took another step away from the sarcophagus and my legs buckled under me. I felt a strong hand grab my arm.

"Flower lies." Cicero mused. "Naughty, naughty flower, lying to Cicero."

"Sorry." I stood and shook my head. "I don't know what's wrong with me."

"Cicero will take the flower back to the bed to rest." He didn't release my arm as he led me back the way we had come and had me sit on the bed I had awoken in only a little while before.

"Thank you." I laid down in the bed and pulled the covers over myself. I had never laid on something as comfortable as this bed. It wasn't long before the pounding in my head subsided and my eyelids grew heavy. I listened to Cicero hum to himself across the room as I drifted to sleep.

_I was sitting, naked in my cage. The cave was dark, even the candle that was normally lit by Sir's bed was dark. I noticed my cage was open, so I stood and made my way to the small wooden table near my cage. There wasn't anyone here, I was alone. On the table I found my silk robe the Dunmer woman had given me. I turned it over in my hands, enjoying the feeling of it against my fingers before pulling it over myself again. Deciding there was nothing for me in this cave I walked out into the night._

_There was a small lake near the entrance of the cave and in the lake I found the Dunmer woman again. She was bathing, her smooth skin glistening in the moonlight._

_I stood and watched her for a while. She was as beautiful as the last time I saw her, but this time she resembled someone else I had seen, but I couldn't place who. She turned towards me and extended her arms in an invitation to join her. I moved into the lake, so the cool water was pooling around my feet._

"_Come to me child." She smiled. "I wish to speak with you, alone."_

My eyes slowly opened. The room I was in was dimer than before, the only candle lit was next to the bed. I slowly sat up and realized that Cicero was asleep on the bed next to me. I took the moment to examine his face closer. Sleep had relaxed his face and his smile had faded, leaving only a tired look.

"_For a long time there was only Cicero and the Night Mother." He had said. "Yet the only one to speak was Cicero, the Mother was quiet. Cicero cared for her, sang to her and kept her safe. Yet she did not speak…"_

Again, my heart filled with a familiar ache.

I turned my face away from his, to try and forget my own pain that was echoing in his. I quietly swung my feet over the side of the bed and slid to the floor. I crept out of the room and into the hall where there were more candles lit. Based on the silence that filled the hall mingled with some snoring I figured it was night and everyone was resting. I was making my way down the hall when I caught my own reflection in a mirror. It took me by surprise at first, I had never seen my own reflection. My skin was pale, much like Cicero's, Master's and Sir's but my the undertones in my skin were blue, not pink like theirs. When I was little I had often wondered why my skin didn't match my mother's and now I knew that my eyes didn't either. Her eyes were like those of a normal Dunmer woman, they were wide and red; while mine were as wide as hers only my irises were red. Pulling my silver hair to the side I ran my fingers through it, Cicero must have brushed it in my sleep, it wasn't this well-kept when I had left the cave.

Giving myself one last smile in the mirror I continued the way Cicero had taken me earlier. I found myself standing before the open sarcophagus, unsure of what brought me here. I could feel a pressure rise in my head, similar to the pain I had experienced earlier and decided coming here on my own was a bad idea. I had only turned around when I heard her voice.

"Welcome my child."

I could hear her voice as clear as day in my head. My vision began to blur around the edges, and I fell to my knees. There was a high pitched noise that was echoing behind her voice, it was eating into my brain. I opened my mouth, but no scream came, nothing but silence.

"Accept it." She hissed. "You have been chosen, it is an honor to hear my voice."

Tilting my head back, so I was looking at the ceiling I clapped my hands over my ears. The high pitched whine had gotten louder. It was building and building working its way through my very being.

"It's almost over my dear child; soon you will be able to hear me without pain." She cooed.

I could feel the hot tears streaming down my face. Reaching up to wipe them away I realize they are not tears, but blood. The whine was so loud now I knew it would consume me, this is how I would die. I closed my eyes and waited for the end to find me.

Instantly the pain vanished. The whine stopped and only a dull pressure remained.

"Very good dearest." The voice sounded pleased. "Only when you accept death do you find yourself."

I smiled. "Sweet Mother…" I closed my eyes, stood up and turned to face her.

"Yes, my Listener." I could see her as I saw her in my dreams, standing in the sarcophagus. She was smiling at me. "You are the one I have chosen. You will hear my voice, see my visions and tell my family of the prayers I have heard."

"Yes, Mother." I bowed slightly.

"First, there is business that must be taken care of within the family. You must find my Keeper, dear, sweet Cicero. You must tell him the binding words." She laid her hand across her heart. "Only then will our family be bound together."

"Yes, Mother." I closed my eyes and heard her whisper the words to me.

"Then we must cleanse what has seeped through from the void and tainted my Keeper." She smiled. "Sweet Cicero has been alone for so long, only now can he find himself again."

"Flower?" I heard a shaking whisper behind me. I turn around to see Cicero hiding behind a pillar, he seems scared. "Flower was speaking to Mother?"

"Cicero." I breathed, reaching my hand out to him.

He hurried towards me and took my hands in his still gloved ones. I could see dried tears on his cheeks. "But Flower must whisper the words. Tell Cicero the words he has waited to hear, please, end my tormented silence, Flower." He was trembling, although normally he stood a head taller than me he was so hunched that he was at eye level.

I leaned forward and kissed his forehead. "Darkness rises when silence dies." I whisper into his ear.

With a gasp he falls to his knees, still gripping my hands. "Cicero lives to serve, oh great Listener."

I crouched in front of him. "You're not alone anymore Cicero. I am with you now. We are family." His eyes look into mine and a wild smile covers his face.

"Yes!" He exclaims. "Family."


	4. The Family Rebuilt

"I wouldn't believe it if it wasn't Cicero telling us so." Nazir rubbed his chin. The large Redguard was standing at the end of the long wooden table in the main hall. The rest of us were seated around the table; myself, Cicero on one side and Babette on the other. Across from us sat a female Altmer named Mortha, a small Bosmer named Tagan and directly across from me a large Nord named Erorn.

"I agree." Babette mused. "But I don't believe Cicero would say she is the Listener if she wasn't able to say the binding words."

"Why should we trust this lunatic?" Mortha sounded disgusted. "I know he's the Keeper, but I don't feel he is trust worthy."

"In true Altmer fashion." Nazir chuckled. "Cicero is outlandish, but is nothing but loyal to the Night Mother. He attacked our last leader simply because she questioned the authority of our Holy Matron."

"Yes." Babette smiled. "If Cicero says she is the Listener, than it must be true."

The discussion about my conversation with Mother from the night before had been going on for some time. It was primarily Nazir, Babette and Cicero trying to determine exactly what would happen from here, it had been over a century since the last Listener had died. Mortha and Tagan had spoken a few times, but were quick to trust their elder Brothers and Sisters. I hadn't said a word, I had been trying to avoid eye contact with Erorn who had taken a seat directly across the table from me. As soon as he had sat down my stomach turned. The resemblance between him and Master was undeniable. He was wearing a smirk on his face that made my skin crawl.

"Perhaps since our Sister here is new to our ranks we should lift some of her burden and elect a Speaker to handle the contracts she will give us." Mortha suggested.

"Excellent idea!" Nazir exclaimed. "I am glad to see you are educating yourself on our history."

"Yes! Yes!" Cicero sang. "A Speaker for the Listener, a Listener for the prayers, and a Keeper for Mother! Family at last!" Cicero was beaming. He hadn't stopped humming all morning. "Cicero thinks either the Redguard or un-child."

"Not me." Babette held her small hands out in refusal. "I keep busy enough with my alchemy, and I would miss going out on contracts."

"I can't say I would argue." Nazir sat down slowly. "These old bones wouldn't mind a break from horses and sneaking around in dark corners."

"Then it's decided." Babette smiled. "Valvyni is our new Listener, and Nazir will act as her Speaker."

Cicero began to giggle. "Cicero is pleased to see the old ways returning! Soon our family will grow and the blood will flow." His smile was so wide I thought his face might crack in two.

"Brothers move in the shadows quick and skilled,  
blood will flow and the void will be filled.  
Sweet Mother shares her voice again,  
over all the Dread Lord will reign!"

Cicero had begun to dance and sing.

I couldn't stand Erorn's stares any longer. "I am going to lay down." I stood and whispered to Cicero. Before he could reply I strode out of the room and into the long, narrow hall that led to the bed chambers. I immediately regretted not waiting for Cicero when I heard the foot falls behind me.

"You!" He hissed at me, grabbing my shoulder and throwing me against the wall. "I know you." He sneered. He grabbed my wrists, twisting them back and pinning me against the stones.

"Let me go!" I growled through my teeth.

"I've seen you in my Uncle's barrow." He ignored me. "Huddled in your cage, naked and crying." I could see the same look in his eyes that Master would give me and my heart sank. I had moved from one cave to another. "Yet, here you are, suddenly a great Listener for the Night Mother." He waved his hand in the air. "How did you get away?" He thrust his face in mine.

I whimpered. I knew what was coming. I had begun to hope in the hours I spent with Cicero the night before that what happened in the cave I had lived in for so long was behind me, but seeing Master's eyes stare at me now I knew I would never escape him.

"I will ask you one more time, dirty Dunmer bitch, how did you get away?" He spit in my face.

There was a flash of red and suddenly a small, black dagger appeared pressed into Erorn's neck. "Brother will release the Listener." Cicero snarled in a low voice.

Erorn released my wrists. Swallowing hard he backed away from me, the dagger still pressing into his skin.

"New Brother should know not to touch the Listener." Cicero smiled his dark, twisted smile. "The wrath of Sithis will find you." He quickly pulled the dagger away from Erorn's neck and held it so the point pressed slightly into the startled man's chest above his heart. "This Keeper will gladly bring it to you." His smile turned into a scowl and he seized the Nord, throwing him to the ground. "Touch her again and I will rip your heart from your chest myself." His voice was deep. I had never heard him speak like that; his voice was always high-pitched and wistful.

"Y… yes," Erorn stammered, holding his throat. "Yes, my Keeper."

Cicero stared at him until he stood and quickly walked away, like a dog with his tail between his legs.

"Flower?" Cicero had turned to face me, his eyes kind. He reached for me. I jerked away, fighting tears I turned away from him and quickly made my way to the room I had been sleeping in. I buried myself under the covers, trying to find somewhere safe.

I cried. I cried harder than I had in a long time. While in my cage all I had felt was emptiness. My grief had slipped away and all that remained was vast nothingness. In the past two days I had felt more than I had in years, but I was realizing with the return of all my happiness was all my heartache. The numbness was gone. It had begun when Cicero's words of the Night Mother triggered thoughts of my own. Since then the darkness had been rising within me, Erorn's eyes that matched Master's had broken down the final barrier.

"Flower?" I heard Cicero call to me softly from outside the covers.

I remained silent.

I could feel him sit on the side of the bed. We sat in silence for a while, me hiding under the covers while he simply sat with me.

It was Cicero who broke the silence. "Cicero has cared for the Night Mother for a long time, it is the Keeper's job to care for Mother so she is able to speak when she chooses. Cicero swore he would care for all the Mother's needs, if she was to be silent it would be because she chose to be, not because she had to be." He pulled down the blankets. "Mother has chosen her Listener, and if that Listener is damaged, it is the Keeper's job to make sure they get well. So Mother can speak when she chooses to."

I allowed my eyes to meet with his. He smiled down at me and stroked my hair. "Cicero will care for Mother's flower."

* * *

Cicero had finally convinced me to leave the room for a time to eat. I was sitting at the table while he prepared my food for me when Babette joined me. She placed her small bowl of stew with what looked like raw meat in it on the table. "May I sit with you, Listener?" She smiled sweetly at me.

I nodded, returning her smile.

"Cicero told me to keep an eye on Erorn." She took a bite of her stew. "Didn't say why exactly, but anyone could see how he looked at you this morning."

I continued to watch her as she ate. She really was the most beautiful child I had ever seen.

"Between you and me," She leaned in, whispering. "I would love to see him gone. He has been nothing but trouble since he came. No respect for the old ways or pride in his work. A child, really." She patted my arm. "He will find his penance in the void for anything he has done to you."

"Thank you." I mumbled.

"Of course, Listener." She said loudly, drawing Cicero's attention to us. "What else is family for?"

Cicero stared at us, curiosity in his eyes.

"I was just telling Vilvyni that we all think she is a lovely Listener, prettiest we've ever had." She called to Cicero.

My cheeks burned and I could see him smile and turn away, blush in his cheeks as well.

"Well, at least he thinks so." Babette jerked her head towards the Keeper. Her laugh rang through the hall, warming my heart.


	5. The Forced Smile

"That's five new contracts." Nazir grinned, setting down his pen and stretching his hand. "This will keep the new recruits busy."

"Good." I closed my eyes, feeling the pressure lift from my mind. I loved hearing the Night Mother in my head, but it left my physical being drained.

"Let me know if you need anything, Listener." He patted me on the shoulder before walking away.

Erorn was still skulking around in the dining area and I didn't like the idea of being left alone with him; so I made my way up to our Matron's shrine where Cicero was busying himself setting up candles. I watched him from the small wooden bench kept by her tomb. Watching him move about I realized I had never really paid attention to his clothes until now. They were always the same; similar to a jester's motley. The red and black fabric looked as though it was once quite fine, but had faded and worn so thin in places it had needed to be patched. The soft leather gloves and boots were trimmed in what appeared to be gold thread, but had long since lost its gleam. They were definitely in need of a good washing.

"Here you are." The light sound of Babette's voice broke through my analysis of Cicero's attire. "Mind if I sit with you?"

"No, of course not." I smiled at her. She returned my smile and sat down next to me on the bench. We both sat in silence and listened to Cicero's singing. The words were nonsense, but the tune was enchanting. I closed my eyes and listened to the melody. I could feel myself drifting into a semi-conscious state and it felt wonderful. Everything was dark and I was wrapped in warmth. I could feel the presence of the Night Mother, but this time it wasn't limited to my mind; the pressure was everywhere, but it was comforting. I knew I had slipped into some form of The Void.

"Your hair is beautiful." Babette's words pulled me from my own mind. She reached up as if to touch it. "Would you mind if I braided it?"

"Do you really want to?" I could feel the heat of blush on my cheeks. "I mean, no one has ever wanted to do anything with my hair."

"Not true." Cicero stopped singing, but didn't turn to face us. "Cicero wanted to wash and brush Flower's hair, so he did."

"When!?" I asked a little shocked.

"When he first brought Flower home…" He continued to adjust candles, keeping his back to us. "Her hair was so twisty and knotty, but pretty. And silver, like the stars in the night sky. Cicero always thought Mother's hair would have been silver too."

Babette laughed softly, causing Cicero to pause in his duties. Still, he didn't turn around; he returned to his tasks and resumed his singing.

"Yes." I turned to Babette. "You may braid my hair." I sat on the floor and allowed the child, our un-child, to braid my hair while we listened to the singing of the Keeper.

* * *

"Yes! Yes!" Cicero's eyes lit up. "Un-child should braid Cicero's hair if that's all it takes to make one look so lovely!"

I laughed, imagining Cicero sitting in an irritated, hunched position while Babette happily braided his auburn hair. Babette laughed too. "Do you want to be as lovely as Vilvyni?" Babette asked between chuckles.

"Everyone should be so lucky as the Listener." He grinned wildly and poked me in the side. "She gets to hear voices in her head _and_ be as pretty as a flower."

Babette's laughing caused her to fall to the floor, holding her sides. "Cicero, you are crazy." She sighed.

He grinned down at the small vampire. "Cicero? Crazy?" I could see a gleam of something sinister in his eyes. "That my dear un-child, is madness."

We all laughed.

Once we had all calmed down Cicero stood from the bench and turned to face us. "Cicero needs to get Mother some flowers."

"Perhaps you should take Vilvyni with you. She hasn't left the sanctuary since she got here, and before that she hadn't been outside in a very long time." Babette nudged me. "It would do you good to get some fresh air."

"Oooohh, yes, yes, yes!" Cicero danced around in front of us. "The Listener and the Keeper out to find flowers for Mother!"

"Oh, okay." I stood up. "It would be nice to get out for a bit."

"Cicero will gather a basket and some snacks. What would the Listener like? A sweetroll? Or perhaps a carrot?" He began to hurry off without waiting for my answer.

"Have fun you two." Babette threw me a wicked smile as she wandered off towards her room.

* * *

Cicero was being very particular about the flowers we collected in the basket.

"Too purple." He scrunched up his face. "Too short." Only about a third of the flowers I brought to him passed the inspection.

"You sure are picky." I sighed.

"Mother gets only the best and prettiest flowers." He motioned to the basket. "To please Mother, Cicero must take the best care."

"Okay." I looked around, but I had just about picked the area clean. "I am going to head up the hill a bit; I think I see some nightshade."

"Yes, yes." He waved his hand in the air, preoccupied with looking at some small blue flowers. "Don't wander too far, Flower doesn't have a dagger."

"I'll stay close." I called, heading a ways up the hill. We weren't very far from the entrance of the Sanctuary, but it was nice just to be outside in the daylight. I stopped when I got to the top of the hill and just looked out to the ocean. I had only seen it once before, when I was very little, and all I really remembered was being afraid of the crabs. A cold breeze blew and cut right through my light jacket. I should have dressed warmer. Wrapping my arms around myself I looked around for the nightshade I thought I had seen. I couldn't find it. However, I did notice some about five yards away and made my way towards it.

The nightshade bush was quite large. "I should be able to find at least a few stems that Cicero will like…" I mumbled to myself and knelt in front of it to get a good view of the blossoms. I had only picked three stems when I felt something hit my head, hard.

I tried to stand up, to turn around and find out what it was but my limbs were slow to respond and the pain in my head was growing. My legs gave away and I sat down, looking up I could see the dark outline of someone much larger than me.

Everything went black.

* * *

My head was killing me. I was becoming more aware of surfacing from my unconsciousness and with it the rising pain levels in my head. I tried to cover my eyes, the light in front of me was making it worse, but I couldn't move my arms. They were pinned above me, tied together by a familiar feeling, rope. I shook my head, trying to clear my thinking and vision.

"Open your eyes, Listener." A mocking voice called to me. "We can't get started until you wake up."

"What's going on?" I asked. "Where am I?"

"Oh, Listener, I would have thought you would know where we are…" The voice teased. I did recognize it, and I didn't like it.

My vision began to clear and when I realized where I was, my heart sank.

"Surely you recognize your old home." Erorn smiled at me. His face made my stomach turn, he looked too much like his uncle. He had smashed the table that had been left in the cave to make a large fire in the middle of the main chamber. He had me tied to the wall where Master had attached a large ring, to hang me from when I was disobedient.

"Let's get started, I waited too long for you to wake up." He made his way towards me, an ebony dagger in his hand. "First let's get rid of those clothes they gave you. You might get the wrong idea of who you are if you wear nice clothes for too long."

I looked away from him, concentrating on the small opening in the cave ceiling while I felt him cut at the dress Cicero had given me. Once it fell away I could feel the cold wall of the cave against my back, it sent shivers down my spine.

"Yes, that's how I remember you." He looked me over, greed in his eyes. "I have wanted you since I saw Cicero carry you into the Sanctuary."

"You'll never have me… brother." I spit the last word at him, reminding him of his place.

I saw anger flare in his eyes. He covered my mouth with his hand and pressed my head against the rocks. He leaned in and whispered angrily, "You think you can save yourself, do you?" His eyes went wide. "You want to save yourself for that jester, don't you!?" He yelled in astonishment, throwing his hands up. "What? Are us Nords not good enough for the great Listener?" He bowed in an exaggerated motion, mimicking Cicero. "You prefer insane Imperials now?"

"Don't you dare mock him!" I yelled at him, hate burning in my veins now.

"You love him, don't you?" He came in close again. "Well, if you love a jester, let's decorate your face to match, hmm?" He pressed the tip of his dagger into the skin just below my left eye and pulled it down my cheek, stopping about an inch above my mouth. The blood ran down my neck, hot and thick. Then he mirrored the line above my eye, starting just below my eyebrow and dragging the dagger up my forehead. I clenched my teeth as he matched my right eye to my left one. I had learned after years of painful punishment that crying out only gave them more pleasure.

He took a step back to admire his work. "What? No smile?" He laughed. "You can't have a jester without a smile."

"Fuck you." I spit blood at him.

"Oh, my dear." He grabbed my jaw, forcing my mouth open. He placed the dagger in my mouth, pressing it against the inside of my cheek. "If you won't smile for me, I'll just have to make you." In one motion he split my cheek open from the corner of my mouth to where my jaw connected.

I couldn't keep my scream inside. The pain was unbearable.

"Still no smile?" He pressed my head back again, placing the dagger back in my mouth, splitting my other cheek as well.

I allowed my head to hang down, resting my chin on my chest, through the tears I could see my blood pouring down my bare torso.

"Don't you see, stupid Dunmer." He was cleaning his blade. "No matter what people tell you, no matter how much prestige you are given…" He took a handful of my hair and pulled my head back up. "You will always be shit, because that's all you Dunmer are, shit."

I stared into his eyes and felt the hate in my veins grow. I could feel heat rising from beneath my skin.

"What…?" He released my hair and took a step back.

"You forget one thing about Dunmer…" I wanted to smile, to show him how pleased I was with what was coming, but his cuts had severed my muscles. I would have to be satisfied with the fear in his eyes.

"You can't…" His eyes widened. "You're a half-breed. You shouldn't be able to…"

I screamed as my skin erupted in fire, it billowed out from me, catching him and throwing him back into the fire he had built. Through the roar of the fire I could hear him scream as he was burned alive. The fire had burned through my ropes, releasing me. I fell to the ground; the cave around me was blackened with scorch marks.

I slowly pushed myself up; I stumbled out into the night air. For the second time I left this cave covered in blood, but this time it was mine. I had no idea how to get back to the Sanctuary or how far away I had been taken. Surely they would be looking for me. I kept walking, holding my face, trying to stop the bleeding.

I could feel my legs weaken before I fell to my knees, but I didn't want to remove my hands from my face long enough to catch myself. That's when I heard my name.

"Vilvyni!" It was distant, but I could hear it.

"Here." I rasped as loudly as I could without opening my mouth. I stood and tried to make my way towards the voice. I could hear the pounding of hooves against the ground as the horse and rider got closer.

"Here!" I called again, opening my mouth partially. I cried out in pain and fell to the ground again.

"I found her!" I heard Nazir bellow. "Over here!"

He dismounted and pulled a blanket from under his horse's saddle. "By Sithis, what happened?" He wrapped it around my shoulders.

"Erorn." I breathed.

Babette quickly joined us. "Here, let me see." She crouched next to me. "I don't see any wounds on your body, where is all this blood coming from?" She looked at my face. "Move your hands." She pulled lightly on my wrists and I let my hands fall away.

"By the Nine." Nazir breathed.

"Listener!" I heard Cicero scream as his horse ran up. It reared back, whinnying at the sudden stop. He jumped from its back and came barreling towards us.

"Cicero! Don't touch her!" Babette screamed at him.

Worry flooded his face and he froze in his tracks. "Bad? No. No. No!" Cicero covered his face. "Cicero only just found the Listener!" He stomped around in a circle like a child throwing a fit.

"We need to get her home before she bleeds out." Babette told him. "You're the fastest rider. I want you to take her back to the Sanctuary. In my room there are healing potions, give her one and lay her down. I need you to wrap her face if I don't get there before then." She was pulling the blanket tighter around me as she looked me in the eyes. "Riding the horse will hurt, but you need to get back as soon as possible."

I nodded and returned my hands to my face before Cicero could see.

"Cicero will be like the wind!" He leaned down and scooped me up like I weighed nothing. "Cicero won't fail the Listener!"

Babette wasn't wrong, the ride was excruciating, but Cicero wasn't wrong either and the ride there was swift.

Cicero carried me towards the large black door.

"What is life's…" It began.

"Innocence!" Cicero yelled impatiently. "Innocence, intolerance, incognizance!"

"…greatest illusion?" The door finished.

"INNOCENCE!" Cicero screamed.

"Welcome home, brother." The door sighed and opened.

"Stupid." Cicero kicked the door and carried me inside. Cursing the door most of the way he carried me down the spiral steps to our room. He placed me on the bed, wrapping the blanket around my shoulders again. "Wait here." He patted my legs lightly. "I will be right back." He hurried out of the room.

When he returned he was carrying a small red vial. "Flower must drink this. The un-child said it will help."

I shook my head, my hands still covering my cheeks.

"Please." He begged on his knees. "Let Cicero see your wounds." He placed the vial on the bed next to me and reached for my hands. I pulled away.

"What?" He asked softly. "Is it my gloves?" He pulled them off. "There, only Cicero's hands."

Slowly, I lowered my hands.

"Dear Mother." He gasped, his eyebrows knitting together. "How the Listener must suffer." He picked up the vial again. "I am sorry, but Flower _must_ drink this."

I tried to cover my cheeks again, but he lightly placed his free hand on mine. "Cicero will be gentle." I let him hold my hands in his and nodded.

"Lean your head back and open as wide as you can." He squeezed my hands. "Be ready to swallow."

I closed my eyes and did as he asked. The pain was almost more than I could bear. The bitter liquid hit the back of my throat and I almost choked before swallowing it. I was grateful when the pain relief was almost instant.

"Good." He smiled at me. He placed the vial back on the bed and took my hands in each of his, rubbing his thumbs over the backs of mine. "Cicero will go get bandages and wrap your wounds until the un-child returns to mend them."

I covered my face again as I watched him leave. Once he was gone I allowed the tears I had been fighting to fall.


	6. The Healing

Babette covered my cheeks in a thick, foul smelling ointment. "This will hold them together, like stitches we don't have to take out later." She applied it skillfully and quickly. "But we will have to reapply it at least twice a day, or after every time you eat." She pulled out some bandages and began to wrap my face. First she wrapped from my chin, up and around to hold my jaw closed; next around my head and down, to cover the wounds. Once she was finished all that you could see of my head was my braided hair hanging out the back, my eyes and the end of my nose.

She confined me to my room until Nazir returned with confirmation of Erorns death. "We can't risk him having made it out of that cave and coming here to take you again."

"Cicero will gut him." Cicero hadn't left our room since we returned except for the occasional trip to get supplies for Babette. Currently he was gloating at the small table in our room. "Cut him; butcher him like a squealing piggy." He was turning a dagger over and over in his hands, his eyes lost in thought. "Cicero warned him not to touch the Listener." His voice was low, like it had been that day in the hall.

Babette rolled her eyes. "You should have heard him when we told him he couldn't go with Nazir to look for Erorn." She threw her hands in the air, mimicking his flustered face. "No!" She whined, trying to imitate his voice. "Cicero must find the pretender, the liar, the false brother!" She chuckled.

"Un-child doesn't understand." Cicero mumbled. "Cicero had his family stolen before, won't let it happen again."

"You forget, Cicero." She turned to face him. "We have all lost a family recently." The sorrow in her voice was clear and I wished I had a voice to ask her about it.

"Now," She turned back to face me and patted my hands. "You need to rest. I will have Cicero wake you if I think your bandages need changed, but it's late and I think I will wait until the morning." She stood and gathered her supplies. "Sleep well."

"Here." Cicero leapt up from where he had been sitting. "Cicero will help the Listener." He helped me lean forward so he could lay my pillow down flat. I winced as he helped me lay back. "Listener can't talk, but Cicero will be here; near and ready to help."

He made his way around the room and snuffed all the candles except the one on the table where he sat. He returned to turning the dagger over in his hands and began to hum. The sound of his voice was comforting and I could feel the small amount of the sleeping aid Babette had given to me begin to weigh on my thoughts. My eyes grew heavy and I drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep.

My eyes fluttered open and it took me a moment to gather my surroundings. My face hurt and instinctively I raised a hand to touch it. Feeling the bandages I was flooded with unwanted memories. I slowly sat up in the bed. Cicero had slumped forward on the table and had buried his face in his arms, asleep. The candle he had left burning on the table had gone out and only the candles from the hall illuminated the room. Just as I had the first night I was here I silently crept out of the room and up to where the Night Mother was kept.

"Erorn lies dead in the cave you left him in. He will find his punishment in the Void." Her voice filled my head. It wasn't long before I could see her, standing in the tomb, looking as alive and beautiful as she did in my dreams.

'I am sorry I wasn't more careful, Mother.' I thought.

"No matter." She smiled, her mouth as unmoving as mine. "You are still my Listener, and the family will be further bound together by the feelings of betrayal."

'How will I give your words to the Speaker if I cannot speak?' I asked.

"Have him bring you a map. I will provide you with locations and names, your brothers and sisters can make contact as was custom in times long past."

'Yes, Mother.'

"There is something on your mind, child?" She tilted her head to the side. "You cannot hide your thoughts from me."

'I feel weak.' I confessed. 'I have never been able to defend myself and I feel that everywhere I go I am to be pray for someone.'

"You are the Listener." She shook her head. "You have been chosen for this task and shall be given everything you need to complete it in due time. Patience."

'Thank you.' I could feel my eyes began to tear up. 'Hail the Night Mother.'

"Hail Sithis." She closed her eyes and slowly vanished, leaving only her corpse behind.

I sat in the silence, alone. My thoughts lingered on the past, times when I had felt my weakest. I clenched my fists. No more would I be used by others, I decided that there and then. I would never become a victim again.

"Flower shouldn't be out of bed." I heard Cicero's voice behind me. I turned to see him leaning against the same stone column he was hiding behind the first time I spoke with Mother. He made disapproval noises. "The un-child will scold poor Cicero if she finds out. Naughty, naughty Listener."

I glanced at the shrine.

"Ah, yes." He sat next to me on the bench. "You were called here by Mother."

Now we sat in silence.

I leaned over, resting my head on his shoulder. I was getting tired again.

"Flower should go back to bed." He took my hand in his. I loved the feeling of the soft leather. "Come, Cicero will carry the Listener."

The following few days were a tormenting mix of bandage changes and forced rest.

"I wish someone here was skilled in restoration magic." Babette confessed after changing my bandages for the second time. "You would be all healed by now."

I managed a small smile. She had been taking such good care of me. Twice a day my bandages would be removed, she would clean my wounds, allow me to eat some broth, drink a potion or two, clean the wounds again and then wrap the bandages back on. On morning of the fourth day she smiled when she removed my bandages.

"Your cheeks have closed." She carefully touched them. They were tender, but I could feel for myself they had closed. "I think we can leave the bandages off for a little bit longer today." She gathered her supplies and placed them on the table. "Perhaps you could even eat solids." She disappeared into the hallway.

Cicero was the only other one in the room, asleep at the table. He hadn't slept in the bed next to me since I had been attacked. I made my way across the room to him. He was mumbling in his sleep. I couldn't make any of it out, but he sounded happy. Lightly I rested my hand on his shoulder. He jerked up and groggily looked at me. "Li.. Listener?" He looked at me confused.

I nodded.

"Listener!" He jumped up from the chair. "Listener's face looks wonderful!" He reached for my cheeks, but only allowed his fingers to hover in the air. A smile spread over his face slowly. "Come." He took my hands. "Cicero will get the Listener a sweetroll." He pulled me out of our room and into the hall.

I had been avoiding the mirror that hung in the hall since Babette had begun bandaging my face; but passing it now I stopped and let go of Cicero's hands. Babette had done a wonderful job of helping my body to heal fast, but there wasn't much she could do for scars. The fine scars above and below my eyes were faint and only noticeable if you looked at them in the right way. The scars on my cheeks were thick and still swollen. They stretched from the corners of my mouth to where the cuts had ended. Leaving my mouth slightly turned up in a permanent smirk. I let my fingertips rest on the large scars. Erorn had gotten what he was aiming for, I looked like a jester.

Cicero watched me as I looked at my new face in the mirror. "Cicero thinks a smile is perfect on the Listener."

Dropping my hands from my face I looked at him. "This smile will haunt me for the rest of my life." I pushed past him and continued down the hall. I knew he meant well, but I didn't want to hear comforting words, I was permanently disfigured in a way that couldn't be hidden.

A week passed, and routine returned to the Sanctuary. Nazir was pleased with the large amount of contracts pouring in. Babette had returned to tending to her garden now that I was fully healed. Cicero had finished setting up the Night Mother's shrine and had begun to routinely care for her body again.

Most of the contracts fell to Tagan and Mortha, who gladly took the work and coin. Babette had begun to look over the contracts again, choosing a few she wanted. My days were spent helping Cicero tend to the Night Mother in the few ways I could, helping prepare food and relaying the contracts given to me.

"Winter has arrived in Skyrim." Tagan shivered and stomped the snow off his boots upon returning to the Sanctuary. We could feel it even in our buried home; the days were growing cold and the nights even colder. He made his way across from the secret entrance to our home and sat next to me by the fire. "It's too cold for this Bosmer." He smiled at me. I liked Tagan. He was small, quiet and we always had wonderful conversations; usually about our shared dislike of the Nords. I had never really had a relationship with someone who shared my Mer heritage like I was able to have with Tagan. It was nice to speak of the stories our parents had shared with us about our homelands. However contracts kept him away more than home, so I often found myself with nothing to do.

Cicero would insist I spend time with him if he thought I was alone too much. He acted as if being alone was something to be endured as rarely as possible.

"I don't mind just reading in our room." I told him as he dragged me to where he was caring for Mother.

He scrunched his face up. "No. No. Listener shouldn't be alone." He sat me on the wooden bench. "Can't the Listener just read here?" His begging face always convinced me to stay.

I stared at him. "I can." I searched his face for a hint as to why he didn't want me to be alone, but I couldn't find anything.

"Good." He smiled and patted me on the head. "Cicero must oil Mother today."

He didn't approve of the face I made at that comment. "Mother must be oiled!" He pouted. "Her body must be preserved so she can speak to the Listener. For without her body, Mother cannot speak and without the Mother, there is no Brotherhood!"

"Okay." I raised an eyebrow at him. "Get to it." I waved my hand about, encouraging him to return to his work. Perhaps I could get more reading done. He turned and began to drag out a large chest. I returned to my reading.

My backside was growing sore from the hard bench and Cicero was still humming and working on oiling the Night Mother.

"Cicero?" I stood up and stretched. "I am going to get something to eat."

"Yes. Yes." He hummed. "Could Flower bring me something?"

He hadn't turned to look at me. I watched him continue with his work and got an idea.

"Sure." I leaned down over him, startling him. "I'll get you something sweet." I whispered in his ear. His cheeks turned red as he slowly looked at me, but I didn't see embarrassment on his face. The look I did see was one that sent shivers down my spine, and not bad ones.

"Cicero would love something sweet from Flower." He stood, I had forgotten how much taller he was than me, he was always hunched over. Now he stood at his full height before me and it was intimidating. He bit his bottom lip and rested his hands on my shoulders. Now I was the one to turn red.

"That wasn't the reaction I was expecting." I took a step back, averting my eyes.

He reached down and took hold of my chin, lifting my face so my eyes could meet his. "What was Flower expecting?" His voice was husky. "The Listener is as pretty as the flowers Cicero brings to Mother. Does she not think that Cicero would be happy to receive something sweet from her?"

"I… Uh…" I stammered, trying to avoid his intense gaze.

"A sweetroll, please." He released my chin and with a wicked smile returned to his work.

I hurried down the stairs and leaned against a wall. My breathing was erratic and my heart was racing. What was wrong with me?

My hands were shaking as I gathered the few sweetrolls that were left in our room. I was making my way back down the hall when my reflection caught me off guard again. The scars on my cheeks were less swollen now, but still as prevalent. I ran my fingers along them. Surely Cicero had been teasing me. All he wanted was something to eat.

It was freezing. My toes were balled up in the woolen socks Babette had given me and my hands were wrapped in an extra blanket I had pulled under the covers with me; but it didn't matter, I couldn't stop shivering. I had no idea how Cicero was able to sleep at the table.

"Listener's teeth will wake up the whole Sanctuary." Cicero mused as he laid another blanket over the ones I already had.

"Thank you." I peeked out from under the blankets. "Are you warm enough?"

"Cicero has spent many nights alone in the cold." He smiled down at me.

"Why do you sleep at the table?" I sat up slightly. "You use to sleep next to me, above the covers."

"Yes." His smile faded. "The Listener needed to get the best rest so she could get better."

"I am better." I smiled at him. "See? I can talk, eat and even smile again." I pulled the covers back on the other side of the large bed. "It's cold. You should be under blankets."

He looked at me warily for a moment then a smile spread across his face. "Perhaps Flower does wish to give Cicero something sweet."

"No!" I dropped back down under the covers to hide my burning cheeks. "I just think it's too cold for you to be sleeping at the table. Don't sleep on the bed if you don't want to."

"Alright, alright." He huffed, giving in. I could see the light from my candle go out. The light from his moved from the table to the stand next to the other side of the bed. I heard his boots hit the floor as he took them off. "Cicero must warn Flower, it has been several years since he has shared covers with a woman. I can't be held responsible for what I do in my sleep." The bed creaked as he lay down and pulled the blankets over himself.

"Vilvyni?" Cicero called into the darkness.

"Yes?" I had never heard him address me by my name before; it had always been my title as Listener or my nickname, Flower.

"I am glad you are well."

"Thank you." I rolled over so I was facing him. He was lying on his back, looking up at the ceiling. "Cicero?" I felt like it was my turn for a question.

"Yes?" He didn't turn to face me, just kept looking at the ceiling.

"Why do we share a room? Aside from Babette who gets her own room, we are the only ones who don't sleep in the communal bed chamber." I had been thinking about this during my time of recovery. I had realized that the bed I had been sleeping in was probably Cicero's before he brought me back here.

"First, it was because you were frail and I didn't know how to care for you if you weren't nearby." Now he turned to look at me. "Now you are the Listener, and as such should not sleep in the common bed chamber. Cicero is the Keeper, he shouldn't either."

"But there aren't any other rooms right now, right?" I felt like that made sense and was a decent enough explanation to satisfy my curiosity.

"Yes." His eyes began to close. Lying here in the bed he looked so tired. Sleeping at a table I imagined didn't offer much in the way of good rest and he expended so much energy during the day just being himself.

I rolled back over and thought about how thankful for the extra body heat I was as I fell asleep.

I could hear Babette making her way around lighting candles, letting us all know it was morning. Her humming pulled me from sleep and I began to realize that I wasn't lying how I remembered falling asleep. I had my arms wrapped around Cicero's torso and he had his arms flung up above his head, still snoring.

"You two look like you slept well." She raised her eyebrows at me and flashed a knowing smile.

"No." I sat up quickly, embarassed. "It was cold."

"Right." She turned around, but I wasn't going to let her get away with picking on me. I grabbed her small hips and pulled her under the blankets with me.

"Mmmm…" I hummed as I held her close and rubbed my cheek against hers. "See? Nice and warm."

She giggled like any child who was being played with. "You're warm, maybe." Her observation wasn't wrong; she felt like hugging a rock, there was no warmth to the small vampire.

"No! No more crackers… Cicero isn't a pretty birdy." Cicero mumbled in his sleep, rolling over so his arms were on top of us.

"Pretty birdy?" Babette looked at me. We both broke into laughter.

Cicero sat up in the bed, startled. "Who is in Cicero's bed!?" He roared, half awake. He stood on the bed and pulled the blanket back revealing Babette and myself in our nightgowns, her tucked in my arms. We were both wearing large toothy grins.

The Keeper's face went blank. I was trying to decide if he was actually awake when realization flitted to life in his eyes. The same wicked grin from the day before spread across his face. "Oh, Listener." He crooned. "If you wished to share our bed with a lady, you needed only to say so." He threw the blanket in the air with a flick of his wrist. He fell to his hands and knees over us as the blanket settled back over us, leaving us in darkness.

His face was inches from mine. "The un-child is a bit young for Cicero, but her mind is grown and Cicero won't say no to the Listener." His grin was making my chest tight. It wasn't that I didn't like it, I just wasn't sure how I felt about his advances.

"As much fun as that would be…" Babette forced her way out from under the blankets. "I am tired and need to go to bed. Have fun." She called as she left the room.

My breathing was heavy as I stared into Cicero's intense golden eyes. "I… uh…" I licked my dry lips. "Err…"

"Oh, I know!" Cicero squealed and sat up, removing the blanket. "The Listener would like breakfast!" He jumped out of the bed and ran out of the room in only his pants.

I was left sitting in the bed, unsure of what just happened and how I felt about it.

I took my time getting dressed. I took my hair out of the braids and brushed it out carefully, Cicero always seemed disappointed when I let it get too tangled. Once I was fully dressed and as well groomed as I could manage I made my way down the hall. I avoided the mirror. I hadn't looked in it since the incident the day before, but the image of my scars still burned in my mind.

Mortha exited the common room as I walked by, we almost ran into each other.

"Excuse me Listener." She smiled. "Good Morning."

"Good Morning." I returned her smile. There was something different about her face, she had a large dark orange streak across her eyes. "What's that?" I asked, curious.

"War paint." She rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Although it's more like a stain. You leave it on for a certain amount of time and then when you wipe it off the color remains on your skin."

"Where'd you get it?" I asked as I reached forward to touch where she had been rubbing.

"Babette." She answered as she watched my fingers. Her eyes crossed as she tried to watch me rub her nose.

We broke into laughter realizing how ridiculous we looked.


	7. The New Identity

I looked at Babette's handiwork in the mirror. She had mixed a war paint stain for me and applied it. The white started under my jawline and faded as it crawled its way up my face, so that by the time it reached my hairline my skin was its natural color again.

"I love it!" I called down the hall, so she could hear me in her room. "But I feel like it's missing something."

"Well, since you've let that dry, you are welcome to apply something else over it." She came out of her room, wiping her hands on a cloth. "I only have a few colors mixed though."

"What do you have?" I continued to stare into the mirror, trying to think of what I was wanting.

"I have green, the orange left from Mortha's, oh, and some black." She looked at her shelf from the hall.

"Oh!" My mind filled with a vision. "The black."

She brought it to me and set it on the small table in front of the mirror. "Do you need a brush?"

"No, thank you." I grinned at her as I dipped two fingers into the black liquid. First I covered my lips, as if I was applying lip color, but then I extended the color beyond the sides of my smile and out to cover my scars. It made my grin look wide. Dipping my fingers back in I pulled out fresh paint. I covered my eyelids and wrapped it down below my eyes as well. I drug a fingertip up and below each eye, covering those scars as well. I took a step back from the mirror and smiled, revealing my white teeth, stark against the black.

"I actually kind of like that." Babette smiled at me. "It's fitting."

"Now I really do look like a jester." I laughed, feeling a bit manic.

"Yes, but by choice." She took the bottle back. "Are you done?"

"Yes. Thanks." I grinned at my reflection. I finally felt at home in my skin again.

* * *

I sat on the bench across from Mother waiting for Cicero to return, but I had been waiting for what seemed like the whole afternoon and I was getting anxious. I wanted to know what he thought of my new face.

I stood and walked over to Mother. I looked at the dried corpse before me. I knew that it was Mother, but this wasn't the Mother I had grown to love. The Mother I saw when she spoke to me, or visited me in my dreams was vibrant and alive. I reached my stained fingers out and allowed them to hover over her lips, just as Cicero had done the first night he had brought me here.

"Noooooo!" I heard Cicero scream behind me. I turned just in time to see him drop his basket of flowers. "You soil Mother with your unclean hands!" He threw himself between Mother and me. "Who is this dirty child!?" He screamed, his voice high and strained. "Listener! Listener!"

"Cicero, I am right here." I cocked my head to the side, confused.

He squinted his eyes. "Flower?" He pressed his face near mine. "No, Flower has long flowing hair like the stars…"

My hair. I had forgotten that I had it wrapped up and hidden under a hat Babette had given me. I pulled the hat off, allowing my hair to tumble down around me. "It is me." I smiled. "I painted my face today."

He knitted his eyebrows together. His fingers found their way to my cheeks, they traced the black down across my lips and over to the other side.

"Just paint your face the shadows smile." He grinned. "It is you, Listener!" He squealed, picking me up in a hug.

"I take it you like it then." I grunted, pressed up against his chest.

"Oh, yes yes yes!" He sang. "I told you once, a smile is perfect on the Listener." He set me down and stared at me. "This smile is even better."

"What was that you said when you realized it was me?" I asked as he turned back to the basket of flowers.

"Oh, just something Cicero heard a long, long time ago. Something about a crow." He stood up and looked at me, like he was having trouble remembering. "Or a clown." He rubbed his chin. "How did it go? 'Don't look, don't look the shadows breathe, whispering me away from you. Oh, don't talk of love, the shadows purr, murmuring me away from you. Just paint your face the shadows smile, slipping me away from you.'" He sang softly. "Yes, about a crow."

"Oh." I smiled. "I am glad you like it."

He displayed his wicked smile. "Oh, does Flower think of Cicero when she makes herself pretty?"

My cheeks turned red, although I wasn't sure if it could be seen under the paint. "Umm, well…" I backed up as he came closer. "I do care what you think."

"Oh, Listener." He had backed me into the bench; I sat down with a start. "Cicero is glad to see another Jester." He leaned forward so his face was next to mine, he whispered into my ear. "Perhaps Flower has painted somewhere else she wishes Cicero to see as well?"

I swallowed hard, shaking my head.

"No?" He looked at me, his smile turning to a frown. "Pity. Cicero was looking forward to tonight."

"Tonight?" I gripped the edge of the bench.

"The Keeper and the Listener, sharing a bed." He pulled away from me, his grin returning. "Anything could happen."

"Like what?" I knew I was encouraging him, giving him the reaction he wanted… but I had to admit that I was enjoying myself.

"Well, last night Flower brought the un-child to play, perhaps the stern Mortha next?" He picked up his basket of flowers.

"No." I relaxed and pulled my legs up so my heels were sitting on the edge of the bench. I rested my chin on my knees as I watched him arrange the fresh flowers.

"Oh." He continued with his work. "Maybe something new? A sweetroll perhaps? Maybe a tingly shock spell? Cicero has heard of the natural abilities of the Dunmer with magic."

"I can't use magic." I sighed. "No one ever showed me how."

"Cicero doesn't believe that." He chuckled. "The Speaker said the false brother was so crispy, crispy black when he found him."

"That was different. I had never done anything like that before."

"So Flower admits to using something." He glanced at me slyly.

"I believe it was the natural protection cloak Dunmer have, I just erupted in fire." I waved my hands in the air, mimicking the flames. "I had no control over it."

"Cicero would love to see the Listener lose control. Always so quiet and reserved, our Listener." He gathered all the flowers he was discarding into a pile and set them aside. "Sometimes the Void is best found in chaos."

"Mortha told me that the Listener, Keeper and Speaker are to retire their blades and not take contracts unless instructed by Mother." I tried to imagine Cicero sneaking quietly through darkened rooms. "How long have you been the Keeper?"

"Years." I saw his shoulders sag a little. "Cicero would never complain, no. Tending to Mother is Cicero's only duty, but it has been a long time since my blade found a soul to send to Sithis."

We sat in silence. I watched as he carefully replaced all the flowers and candles around the Night Mother's shrine. He quietly began to hum, and for the first time I recognized the song as the one he had sung to me after seeing my face painted.

"That's the same song you were singing earlier."

"Hmmm?" He turned to look at me. "Oh, perhaps."

"I think it's the only one I've ever heard you sing." I thought back, it was. The melody was always the same; sometimes faster, sometimes slower, yet always the same.

"Cicero only sings what is in his head." He pressed his fingertip to his temple.

"Well, I like it." I smiled. "I find it comforting."

* * *

I found myself sitting before the Night Mother's shrine as I did most nights.

_Listener._ She was standing there as I saw her, dressed in her black robe. _I have something special for you._

"Yes Mother?" I grinned. "Anything."

_I wish you to take a contract. The contact is in Riften, you will find her in a boarding house there._ Her unmoving mouth smiled. _This contract is only for you, you must go alone. The Keeper will insist on going with you, but you must deny him._

"Why? I mean, I am happy to. Curiosity has got me though."

_This contract is delicate and as much as I love my Fool of Hearts, delicate is not something he is capable of._ She turned to look at the flowers he had placed around her shrine. Her fingers seemed to almost rest on some of them. _He is wonderful as Keeper. Always faithful and loyal, soon I will be able to answer the prayers he prays that I can. Others he will just have to do without._

"Yes, Mother."

_Your new smile._ She motioned to her own face, smiling. _It suits you._

"Thank you Mother."

_Go, sleep. I expect you to leave tomorrow._

"Hail the Night Mother."

_Hail Sithis._

I sat before the shrine for a time before making my way quietly down the hall. I crept through our room and watched Cicero sleep. For the first time I saw him smile in his sleep. I sat on the bed and leaned over him.

"Oh, don't talk of love, the shadows purr, murmuring me away from you." I sang quietly as I brushed some of his hair out of his face.

His brow furrowed. "Listener?" He mumbled in his sleep. "Yes, Listener. Anything. Cicero will carry all the sweetrolls."

I giggled.

"Oh, Listener… that tickles." He rolled over, gripping me firmly around the waist. "Listener smells of flowers and a summer's night."

I stroked his hair, watching him sigh in his sleep. I wasn't sure how long I would be gone, but I would miss my fool.

* * *

"NOOOOOO!" Cicero yelled, stomping around in a circle. "It's not fair!"

"Cicero," I held my hands out, palms facing him, trying to calm him down. "It's what she commanded."

"Cicero wishes to go with the Listener!" He whined. "Going to Riften, without poor Ciero. It is dangerous, there are ruffians and thugs and oh so much fun." He crossed his arms, pouting.

"I will bring you something back." I offered. "Something special."

"Special?" He perked up. "A special something from Flower for humble Cicero?"

"Yes." I smiled at him. "Something just for you."

"Fine." He drooped his shoulders. "But Listener must promise to stay safe. The Listener must come back, Cicero looked for too long for the Listener to be lost again."

"I will." I pulled on my outer robe.

"Wait, wait!" I heard Babette call. "You have to take this!" She was holding some dark, folded clothes.

"What are they?" I took them.

"A surprise we had ordered for you." She grinned at me, showing her little fangs.

I looked at Cicero, his sly grin giving him away. "You knew too?"

"Cicero knows nothing about nothing and so something about everything." He mused, his eyes glowing.

I eyed them both as I unfolded the cloth. There displayed on the table before me was something similar to the Dark Brotherhood armor Tagan wore.

"It's not made from leather, so it won't weigh so much." Babette ran her fingers along the cloth. "It will silent and move with you, but it's enchanted." She gave it a flick and it radiated a dark blue. "It will keep you safer than the toughest armor."

My chest swelled. "Thank you." I breathed. "It's wonderful."

"Oh, oh!" Cicero called, hoisting out from behind him a pair of boots. "So the Listener can be sneaky, sneaky in the night like clouds that hide the moon."

I was on the brink of tears. "You two are too much."

"I have something for you too." Nazir appeared from around a corner. "So your outfit is complete." He placed a ebony dagger on the table over the armor.

"Cicero sharpened it himself!" He squealed with delight. "It is all gleamy and sharp for excellent stabbings and cuttings!"

I picked up the blade, it was decorated with flowers and vines up the hilt and down the dark blade.

"I was inspired by our dancing clown." Nazir admitted.

"Can I go put it on before I leave?" I asked.

"Of course!" Babette laughed. "It's yours."

* * *

I watched my new boots dangle off the edge of the wagon I was riding in. I had wrapped myself in a dark robe to conceal the signature assassin armor, but my boots could still be seen. My backside was beginning to ache, but the driver promised me we were almost to Riften.

It didn't take much for me to blend in with the crowd flowing into Riften. Cicero was right the people moving the streets here were suspicious to say the least. After asking an apathetic looking guard I found my way to Haelga's Bunkhouse.

A few laid out gold coins loosened the owners tongue for her to tell me where I could find the newest member of her patrons. The Dunmer woman was sitting in a corner of the room, her back to me. I made my way to behind her.

"Your prayer was heard." I whispered.

"Thank Sithis." She turned around quickly, tears in her eyes. Her familiar eyes.

"Mo…" My voice broke. "Mother?"


	8. The First Contract

My legs crumpled beneath me, but thankfully the thud was light when I hit the floor.

"Vilvyni?" She whispered, her eyes not looking at me, but she held her hands out for me.

"Yes, mother, I am here." I took her hands in mine. "Right here."

"I…" She laughed, tears streaming down her face. "I thought you were dead." She still wasn't looking at me.

"No." I pressed her palms into my cheeks. "Very alive."

Her happy expression changed as she felt the scars on my cheeks. "Your face…"

"The years weren't always kind to me." I admitted. "What about your eyes?"

"Oh." Her fingertips moved to her face now. "The night you were taken the bandits beat me, raped me and left me for dead in the snow."

My chest ached. I had thought they had killed her, for so long I was reassured knowing that she wasn't suffering like I was.

"They killed poor Jorgen." She breathed. I could hear the pain in her voice at the mention of his name. Jorgen had been the only father figure I had. He was a traveling merchant, my mother and I traveled with him. I would help him catch and clean fish, collect alchemy ingredients and anything else he could sell. My mother crafted traditional Dunmer jewelry that he sold. They were never romantically involved, but looking back on it with an adults eyes they loved each other, but each remained silent. He would bring her flowers; she would care for him when he was sick.

I cupped her face in my hands. "I am so sorry."

She smiled. "I was found by a traveling Khajiit caravan, they cared for me as best as they could, but it wasn't long before my infection spread to my eyes. It slowly took my sight."

"Oh, mother." I pressed my forehead to hers. "I wish I could have been there to care for you."

"My child." She smiled and pulled me in for an embrace. "I am just glad to get to hear your voice again."

"Wait." I pulled away from her. "You prayed, you performed the black sacrament."

Her brow furrowed. "Yes, for years. How do you know that?"

"I am the answer to that prayer. I am your contact from the Dark Brotherhood." I stood, but didn't release her hands.

"You're an assassin?" Her grip on my hands tightened.

"Well," I shrugged. "Technically this is my first contract."

She frowned. "I am not sure how I feel about that."

I sighed. "Who is the contract for?"

She lifted an eyebrow. "It has been so long, I am not sure anymore."

"You have done it more than once?"

"Yes." She released my hands, wrapping herself in her shawl again. "The bandits that took you?"

"Dead." I smiled, remembering their empty eyes staring into the Void.

"Then only one remains." She closed her eyes. "Your father."

* * *

I sat in the corner of the Bee and Barb, silently enjoying my drink. Guests had come and gone, the only two that had been here as long as me were the two sitting at the bar. They had drunk quite a bit and were becoming boisterous.

I didn't mind. They took attention away from me so I didn't have to worry about being seen by the wrong people as much. I was actually enjoying watching the two women drink. They were having a good time; that is until the Khajiit's tail fell out from her robe.

"Khajiit!" The woman sitting nearest to me yelled; she looked terrified.

I stifled laughter. People were so afraid of things they didn't understand.

I watched as the guards came to drag the poor woman away, but was surprised by her friend's reaction. She stood her ground, defended the Kahjiit. I admired her loyalty. The anger rising in her was almost palpable in the air, I could feel the energy around us pull towards her, as if she were swallowing it.

None of us were expecting what came next. A shout. Her voice made the whole tavern shudder, but somewhere inside me I knew she was restraining herself. She grabbed the Kahjiit's arm and they quickly made their way out of the city, unaware that I was following them closely.

They made it quite far before stopping to catch their breath. They exchanged some potion and sat down to rest. I watched them for some time, but it was clear they weren't moving any time soon, and I needed to get back to the Sanctuary. I had details of a contract to share with the Speaker and Keeper.

I smiled as I left the two women behind on the road side.

"Why do you think men have such large hands?" The Nord asked the Khajiit.

"Beats me." Her tail flicked about wildly. "I like how they smell."

The Nord agreed. "Like leather…"

"And mead." The Khajiit purred.

They laughed. I didn't agree. At least Cicero didn't smell like those things. He smelled like sweetrolls and flowers. Perhaps it was because he wasn't a normal man.

* * *

"Ah, Listener." Nazir smiled at me. "You have returned. How was your trip?"

"Interesting." I sat down across the table from him.

"What did you learn of your first contract?" He slid me a bowl of soup, which I gladly accepted.

"Well, for starters the contact was…" I was caught off by a loud screeching that was coming down the hall. We both turned to look as the noise got closer and closer.

Cicero soon appeared in the doorway to the connecting hall. "Listener!" He screamed. He came barreling towards us.

"Sithis preserve us." Nazir murmured under his breath, making me smile.

"Flower is back!" Cicero exclaimed, throwing his arms around my head. "Back, back, back!"

"I missed you too Cicero." I wrapped my arms around his middle.

"Ohhhh!" He squeaked. "The Listener missed me!" His grin was so wide I thought his face would crack in two.

"I'll leave you two alone." Nazir grinned. "Listener." He nodded to me.

"Speaker." I returned his nod.

Once the Redguard had left I turned to Cicero, who was doing a handstand to display his excitement. "I need your help."

"Cicero lives to serve the Listener." He returned to his feet and bowed.

"I need help preparing to complete my first contract." I confessed. "I need training in sneaking."

* * *

I watched Cicero get pushed across the stone floor and slam into the far wall. His hands went to his throat, he was being choked.

I turned my gaze to the Imperial mage that was extending his arms in Cicero's direction. I had been the one to give away our location, not Cicero, he had been as quiet as the night itself. I should have been the one being pinned down, why hadn't he seen me?

I locked eyes with Cicero who was beginning to turn blue in the lips. I nodded, letting him know that I would finish this. I circled around behind the Imperial and slowly made my way towards him, crouched just like Cicero had taught me. He was occupied. He was laughing as he watched the life leave the jester's eyes, in his mind he had caught the assassin. He had only caught the teacher.

In one motion I stood behind him, grabbed his mouth and pushed my blade into his side. His hands changed from glowing orange to blue as he reached for my arm. The searing pain that filled my arm was intense, but nothing I couldn't withstand. I had been hurt countless times since I was small and a little ice wasn't going to stop me from fulfilling my mother's prayer. Clinging to the front of his shirt I spun him around and pushed him to the floor.

His magicka was fading, I could tell by the lack of glow in his hands now. I straddled him, much like I had Sir the night I escaped, pinning his arms under my knees. I held the blade over his chest, the point hovering over his heart.

"Tell me a story…" I grinned at him, hate filling my mind. "Tell me of the lady Giselda."

"Gi… Giselda?" He coughed up some blood; I must have nicked a lung.

"Yes." I purred, pressing more weight onto the blade.

"She… she was an old flame of mine." His eyes widened. "She left me, a long time ago."

"Tell me how you beat her." I growled at him through my teeth.

"What?" He was panicking now. "What did that bitch tell you?"

"Oh, she told me all about you." I twirled the blade on his chest. "About how when you discovered she was with child you threatened to beat it out of her."

His eyes widened. "You…?"

"'No way I am going to be the father of some Dunmer half-breed.' I believe was what she told me you said." I grinned wickedly. "You've been in Skyrim too long, their prejudices are getting to you."

He was whimpering. "I… I…"

"You what?" I leaned over him. "You didn't mean it? You meant it. And now I mean this, father." I pressed into the blade, feeling his chest give as it sunk into him. "May you find punishment in the Void."

I sat on him until the life left his eyes.

"Cicero." I looked up, the Keeper had blacked out just before I had broken the telekinesis spell.

"Fine, Listener." He rasped. "Cicero had a first row seat to the beautiful show." He was still holding his neck and lying on his side. I stood and pulled my blade from the man's chest, wiping it clean on his shirt. Sheathing my dagger I helped Cicero to stand.

"You took quite a beating." I said looking at his jester's motley. "It will need patched."

"Nothing new." His voice was faint. I pulled his hands from his neck.

"You will be bruised." I frowned. "I am sorry; it is my fault he found you."

"Listener can repay me later." He grinned slyly at me.

"I'd love to, but first we need to get out of here." I looked around, suddenly aware that guards could come bursting through the door at any minute. "Hurry." I headed towards the window we had come through.

"Listener." He caught my arm. "Don't…" He looked flushed. "Don't let go of Cicero."

"Of course." I took his hand and gave it a light squeeze. "Let's go."

We made our way out of the city and through the rocky forest on the outskirts of Solitude. It would have been easier going on the road with how Cicero was dragging, but I didn't want to risk us getting found. I led, while he tried to keep up; I never let his hand go.

We finally made it back to where we had left our horses. I turned to look at the Keeper, the look on his face shocked me. He was pale and sweating, barely conscious.

"Cicero?" I put my hands on his shoulders, shaking him. "Cicero!?"

He mumbled, but I couldn't make out what he had said. I pulled him to me, wrapping my arms around his shoulders. Together we sunk to the ground.

"Cicero!" I pulled his face up towards mine. "Keeper!" At the sound of his title he perked up a little. "I need to get you home, to the Sanctuary, but I can't get you on a horse myself."

"Listener?" His voice was faint. I placed my ear up to his mouth, but I could hardly hear what he was saying over his wheezing.

"Oh, gods. He must have broken some of your ribs…" I pushed some of his hair out of his face. It was getting colder, there must be a storm coming. "Cicero, I need your help getting you on a horse."

He coughed, some blood was left on his bottom lip. I wiped it off and shook him again.

"Keeper!"

His eyes opened, more alert and focused.

"On your horse, now!"

He pushed himself up into a standing position with my help. With much prodding and more strength than I knew I had in me we finally got him flung over his horse, like a deer that was being taken home to clean. I tied my horse to his, covered him with an extra blanket and mounted his horse behind him.

I urged the horses on as fast as they would go. His horse wasn't use to carrying so much weight and she wasn't happy with having to do so in an oncoming storm. Fortunately our Sanctuary wasn't far, it had only been a few hours when we got back. I regretted having to leave Cicero on the horse, but I couldn't carry him inside and he was out cold.

"Nazir!" I yelled as I entered the Sanctuary.

"What is it?" He asked, worry etched on his face.

"It's Cicero, he needs attention and I can't get him inside alone." I was breathing heavily, my chest hurt from the cold air.

Nazir and Tagan brought the Keeper into the warmth of the Sanctuary and laid him in our bed.

"Remove his clothes, quickly." Babette came in, carrying a box of potions and bandages. She looked at me when I didn't move. "Listener! I need to be able to see his injuries."

"Yes, of course. Sorry." I moved to the bed and began to undo the ties on his motley. His breathing was staggered and he was moaning, but for the first time since I got him on his horse his eyes opened.

"Vilvyni?" He whispered.

"Yes, I am here." I stroked his hair. "I need to get your clothes off so Babette can look at your injuries."

He chuckled, more blood came up. "You're…" He rasped. "You're just trying to get me naked in our bed."

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. "Can you sit up?"

He tried, but cried out in pain. "No, I can hardly breathe."

"Cicero, I am going to have to cut your clothes off…" I ran my fingers over his motley.

"No." He looked panicked. "I can sit up, I will sit up."

"You can't. To do so would risk hurting yourself further." I placed my fingers over his mouth when he began to argue. "I will mend them, I promise. Please, for me."

He relaxed, defeated. He closed his eyes as I began to cut the fabric off him. My heart broke when I saw the tears fall from his eyes. Once I had them off I folded his clothes into a nice pile.

"I promise." I whispered in his ear. "I will have them done by the time you are well." I leaned in, hesitant but decided I might not get another chance. I pressed my lips to his forehead. "I promise."


	9. The Bond

I sat before the Night Mother, pulling the needle through the thin fabric. My hands were shaking and it should have been no surprise when I broke the skin on my finger with the sharp point. I pulled my hand away and quickly placed my fingertip in my mouth. I left it there for a moment before pulling it out and watching the deep red blood appear on my skin like magic. As I watched the spot grow I felt anger rise in my chest. I threw the jester's motley to the floor and stood before the coffin.

"Three days!" I screamed at her. "It's been three days and he still hasn't woken up!" The tears falling down my cheeks were warm and showed that I cared more than I wanted to.

I felt to my knees before my Goddess. "Why won't you speak to me, Mother?" I whispered through my sobbing. Although my vision was blurry with tears, I could still make out the shimmer of her appearing before me.

_My Child._ I could feel a pressure on my head, as though she were resting her hand on it. _Your heart is too big._

"Yes, Mother." I sniffled.

_You care for my Keeper._ She lifted her hand. _As you were meant to._

"What?" I lifted my gaze to see her face. She seemed pleased.

_You were destined to be the Listener as he was destined to be the Keeper. Time builds for you. Your paths lead you in the way you are meant to go. Cicero wasn't always as you have grown to know him, but the path that was set before him was meant to change him into who he is. Just as your path made you into someone who could love him. _She smiled down at me.

"Then why won't he wake up?" I wanted to reach out to her, to take her robe in my hands and beg for his life.

Her smile turned to a frown. _Cicero broke a part of the Keeper's code. Keepers are not to go on contract. He needs to be reminded of that._

"Mother, it was my fault he came with me." I lowered myself before her. "He came with me because I was afraid of going alone."

_So, you are both being reminded to not test me._

I looked back up at her. She was smiling again.

_Unless I give the Keeper a contract, he is to remain here. Unless I give you a contract, you are to only leave on official business. You are my children and therefore are sworn to me and me alone._

"Yes, Mother." I bowed before her again.

_But, like any good mother, I wish for my children to be happy and to care for one another. As I told you before, my Keeper is tainted. Loneliness has no place in a family, but it has rooted itself deep within him. I leave it to you to root out and remove._

"Yes, Mother." I whispered. "Hail the Night Mother."

_Hail Sithis._

I sat back up so I was on my knees. I was alone again. I picked up Cicero's motley and held it to my chest. The smell was comforting. I decided to continue my work where I could watch over my fool.

* * *

I spread the mended garments out over the table in our room. I had always been good with a needle and thread. I had mended clothes when I was little with Jorgen and Mother, and again for Sir and Master; but none of them meant as much to me as this did. I wanted them to look better than they had when I cut them from his body. I allowed my fingers to trace the motley. The red and black that comprised the tunic were made of velvet, but had been worn down over time. The trousers were a darker burgundy and made from a soft fabric I had never felt before.

I had kept myself busy, very busy since we had returned to the Sanctuary. At first I helped Babette care for Cicero, but when it became a matter of time I turned to the repairs of his motley. I had worked and worked on them, finding new things every day I could fix. I had removed many of the old patches and replaced them with fabric I had gotten from Dawnstar. I had washed them, twice. Once before beginning to mend them and a second time after I had finished. I had even cleaned and polished the soft leather gloves and boots.

Now I folded them up and rested them on the chest at the foot of our bed, along with his gloves and boots. My mind was freed to linger where I had been trying to keep it from. It had been two days since the Night Mother had spoken to me, and I knew that I was being punished, but I didn't feel the full extent of it until I stood over our bed with nothing to occupy my mind.

I looked down over his sleeping form and found myself fighting tears. I knelt next to the bed and took his hand in mine. I buried my face in the blanket and allowed myself to cry, something I hadn't done since yelling at the Night Mother. "You can't leave me." I sobbed. "You are the only reason I didn't die in the snow after leaving that cave the first time."

"You were the first one to welcome me into my new family. You were the one who made me smile for the first time in years. You showed me what kindness was when I thought it had all been bled from this world." I cried until I didn't have the strength to anymore. I climbed onto the bed and rested my head on his shoulder. My eyes were heavy, I hadn't slept in days and crying had taken the last bit of energy I had. I held my fingertips over his mouth, feeling his breath leave his lungs. I smiled. At least I knew he was still alive.

I was pulled from sleep by the sound of voices and light laughter. I slowly opened my eyes. I was still lying on our bed, but I had been covered by a blanket. Cicero, who had been next to me, was now sitting up in bed, talking with Babette. They hadn't noticed me wake.

"She was worried for you." Babette took a drink from her cup.

"Hmmm…" Cicero hummed. "Cicero was surprised to see her here when he woke up."

"She actually climbed in there with you over a day ago. She hadn't slept much since you two returned."

I closed my eyes when I saw Cicero shifting to look towards me. "Always caring and kind, our Listener." He mused while stroking my hair.

"Alright, well if you are done eating, I want you to lay back and rest some more." I heard Babette stand. "I am going to leave this plate here in case she wakes. Please try to get her to eat when she does."

"Yes, Cicero will care for the Listener." He continued to stroke my hair.

Babette's footfalls faded from our room.

I felt Cicero settle back down into the bed and begin humming as he resumed stroking my hair.

"Just paint your face, the shadows smile. Slipping me away from you." He sang softly.

I knew I should get up and take care of him, but I didn't want to lose this moment. I wanted to lay here forever.

"Cicero knows the Flower is awake." I could hear his smile in his voice. "But you don't have to move if you don't want to."

My grip on the blanket tightened, and with the other hand I reached up and grabbed his hand that was on my hair.

"Oh, so Flower is awake." He hummed.

"Yes." I confessed.

"Like Cicero said, you don't need to get up." He held my hand in his.

"But I should." I squeezed his hand. "I should help care for you."

"Flower is caring for Cicero." He hooked his finger under my chin and pulled my face up so he could see it. "Cicero doesn't like to be alone."

I could feel the tears returning to my eyes, but this time they were tears of joy. I pulled myself up and scooted so I was sitting next to him, my face inches from his. He wrapped his arm around me and tucked my hair behind my ear. "I thought I had lost you." I breathed.

"Oh, Listener will have to try harder than that to kill loyal Cicero." He smiled at me, his golden eyes dancing.

I sniffled. "I felt alone, like I was trapped in that cage again." I wrapped my fingers in his hair. "I couldn't stand the thought of losing you."

He pressed my forehead to his chin. "I will never leave you alone in that cage. Ever. I promise you that." There was seriousness to his voice that made me believe him.

I returned to looking him in the eyes. "You were asleep for a very long time."

"Yes." He released me and stretched his arms. "Cicero can feel it in his bones."

"A bath!" I exclaimed. "You should soak in a hot bath."

He gave me a wicked smile. "Listener if you want to get Cicero naked, you need only say so."

"Stop." I pushed his shoulder.

He grunted in pain.

"Oh, I am so sorry!" I frantically placed my hands on either side of his face.

"I suppose I deserved it." He chuckled.

"I will get you a bath ready." I crawled from the bed.

"Wait." He called to me. "You must eat first."

"I am alright, I will eat when you are in the…" My stomach growled, betraying me.

"Eat." He held the plate to me.

"Fine." I surrendered and climbed back onto the bed.

* * *

I brushed my hair while I listened to Cicero hum and splash in the water of his bath. I had changed into a nightgown and had laid out a fresh night shirt for him to change into when he got out.

"Listener!" He called to me. "Listener, look!"

I turned to see the man sitting in the small tub with his feet dangling out. He had collected the few bubbles that were left in the tub and formed them into a small beard on his chin. "I'm Ulfric!" He called.

I laughed.

"I hate everyone who isn't a Nord." He boomed. "I am outrageously tall and think that makes me the best, by Talos!" He stood in the tub and struck a pose.

I blushed and quickly turned around at the sight of the naked man. "Cicero!" I scolded.

"Oh, please." I heard the water splash as he sat back down. "Like you haven't wanted to see."

My blush deepened. I didn't know what to say.

"Listener?" He called again, softer this time. "I need help."

I turned around slowly. He was pulled completely in the tub with only his hands and eyes peeking over the side. "I can't wash my back. My chest and sides still hurt too much." He seemed sheepish.

I sighed. Normally I would just tell him to go without a clean back, but it was my fault he was injured. I felt like I needed to help him.

"I'll be over in a minute." I called. "I am going to change."

"Why?" He contorted his face. "Flower looks lovely in that."

"I don't want to get it wet." I put my hands on my hips. "And you can't sit still, so I am bound to get wet. Now turn around so I can change."

"No." He grinned at me. "Listener has seen the Keeper naked, only fair he should see her too."

"Not happening." I turned around. I made my way to the pile of clothes I had taken off and placed in the laundry pile. I pulled my nightgown over my head, my back still to the jester. I pulled the shirt on and turned around to make my way to the tub. It was empty.

I froze, panic gripping me. Where did he go? I quickly glanced around the room, but didn't see him.

"Even Flower's back is beautiful." I heard him whisper in my ear, behind me.

I spun around, but there wasn't anyone there. "Cicero!" I yelled, closing my eyes.

"Right here, Listener." He called from the tub.

I turned back around, again, and there he was. He was sitting in the tub as if he had been there the whole time, his legs hanging over the side. I could feel the heat rising under my skin from both embarrassment and frustration.

I glared at him. "Do you want me to wash or back, or play games?"

"Oh, I would never dare to play games with the great and powerful Listener." He mused, looking at me slyly.

I stomped across the room and drug a chair to the tub. I sat in it and continued to glare at him. "Lean forward." I commanded.

"As you wish." He grinned, obeying.

I took the washcloth from the tub and poured some of the cleansing oil on it. When I leaned over to reach for his back I got a full view of the black and purple bruises that covered his ribs. My anger faded.

"Tell me if I am too rough." I began to run the washcloth along his back.

He returned to humming as I washed his back. "You have freckles on your shoulders." I smiled.

"Comes with the territory." He pulled on his hair.

"I like them." I ran my fingers along the tops of his shoulders. "I don't have any."

"You don't need them." He glanced at my face from over his shoulder, catching my gaze.

I pulled my hand away and dropped the washcloth into the tub. "I'll get your night shirt." I stood and walked across the room, picking up the shirt I felt the design that was stitched into the collar. I had picked this shirt out for him while I was in Dawnstar getting fabric for his motley. I thought he would need a new one after sleeping in his for almost a week.

"Here." I placed it on the chair next to the tub. "I am going to go to bed."

He nodded, looking at the night shirt. "That isn't mine."

"It's new." I headed back over to my nightgown. "I got it from Dawnstar."

"A special gift from Flower." He whispered, reaching for it and running his fingers along it.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" I brought the heel of my hand to my forehead. "I got you something in Riften."

I turned from him and changed back into my nightgown. When I turned back around he had risen from the tub and pulled on his nightshirt.

I reached into the top drawer of my dresser and pulled the small amulet out of where I had hidden it.

"_You have lovely pieces." I looked over the small stall. "The knot work on these is lovely."_

"_The maiden has an eye for jewelry." The Argonian smiled at me. "Are you shopping for something special?"_

"_I told someone I would get them something special." I looked over necklaces. I had no idea what I was looking for._

"_Ah." The Argonian pulled a piece from behind the stall. "This is sure to make your special someone happy." He held out a small amulet with intricate knot work and a piece of turquoise in the middle._

I ran my finger over the turquoise. I wasn't sure about a necklace for Cicero, but it was better than anything else I could think of.

I sat on the bed. Cicero was rubbing his hair in a dry cloth as he walked to the bed as well.

"Here." I held it out to him.

I couldn't place the look on his face when he saw it. He didn't look upset. Shocked, perhaps? I had never seen the jester shocked.

"This is for, Cicero?" He reached for it.

"Yes." I held it out further.

He took it in his hand and looked at it closer. Once the shock faded I could see his wicked smile spread over his face. "Flower really likes Cicero, doesn't she?"

I blushed. "Well… I…"

He sat next to me on the bed, leaning in so his face was close to mine. "Cicero likes the Listener."

I licked my lips. "I… um…" I was silenced by his lips pressing into mine. I stared into his wonderful, golden eyes. I could feel myself melting.

He pulled away. "Do you know what this is?" He held up the amulet.

"A necklace." I shrugged. "The vendor said it was a good gift."

"Oh, it is." He smiled slyly. "It's what Nords give one another, or wear when they want to get married."

I couldn't imagine the shades of red I was turning and I knew, war paint or not, he could see it. I couldn't even say anything.

"Cicero knows Flower didn't know." He sat in the bed. "But Flower still got something very special for Cicero." He blew out his candle and pulled the covers up over himself.

I sat, in silence.

"Oh, does the Listener want an answer?" He chuckled.

I just stared at him, mortified.

"Cicero could never say no to the Listener." He mused. "Good night." He kissed me on the cheek and laid back down.


	10. The Nightmare

Babette was laughing so hard she was tearing up.

Cicero had been parading around the Sanctuary with his new motley and amulet on all morning.

I sat at the long table in the main hall, my face resting on my hands. I was beyond embarrassed, I was irritated.

"And look at Cicero's motley!" He was walking on his hands, straining to look at the little vampire. "The Listener took great care to mend it. It hasn't looked this fine in a decade." He tucked into a roll and ended on his feet, grimacing in pain.

"Serves you right, bounding around all morning with your injuries." I scolded. "You'll make them worse."

He slid in next to Babette so he was sitting across from me. "See!?" He pointed at me accusingly. "See how Flower dotes on humble Cicero?"

"He does have a point sister." Babette sighed looking at me.

I stood from the table, clenching my fists at my sides. "No, he doesn't!" I yelled and stomped to our room. I slammed the door behind me and pulled the lock closed.

I spent the next few hours cleaning and reorganizing our room. My anger soon faded and I calmed down, but I wasn't ready to face more ridicule for my ignorance. So I made myself comfortable on our bed and covered my legs with my favorite emerald green blanket. A few hours of quiet with a book would do me good.

I was in the middle of a chapter when a faint rapping came at the door. I dogged eared the page I was on and snapped the book closed. "Yes?" I called.

"Please don't be angry with Cicero, Listener." I heard his hushed voice from the other side of the door. "The Fool of Hearts can only act as a fool, but please don't be angry."

I sighed. I wasn't angry with him, I was angry with myself. I should have known better than to purchase something I didn't know anything about for him. I made my way to the door, but I had no way to tell if he was still on the other side. So I knocked lightly.

"Please don't be angry with Flower, Keeper." I spoke through the door. "I am new at being a jester and am not use to feeling like a fool. So, please don't be angry." I laid my palms against the door.

I could feel Cicero run his hands along the other side. "Never." He whispered.

I undid the lock and took a step back from the door. It flew open and before I knew what was happening he had swept me up in his arms. I clung to his shoulders as he twirled us in a circle. He pressed his forehead to mine and closed his eyes. "Cicero was afraid you would stay in here forever." Our spinning came to a halt. "Cicero would be alone again."

Loneliness. I had never realized how Cicero feared being alone. He was always dragging me out from my hiding places and forcing me to spend time with him. I thought he had been doing it for me, but he had been doing for himself. I released my grip from his far shoulder and wrapped my fingers in his hair underneath his jester's hat.

"I won't leave you alone." I whispered.

His face was broken by a smile. "Listener is too kind to poor Cicero."

* * *

_I was lying on the floor in my cage. I could see the door open and an arm reach in for me. I scrambled to the back corner and pressed myself into the bars, trying to get away from the hand. It took a hold of my hair and drug me from the cage and across the cave. I was thrown up against a wall. I cried out in pain, but my voice felt muted. I was pulled into a standing position by my hair as Master tethered my wrists to the wall._

_I looked back at him. His face was contorted. His eyes were too large and seemed empty; his nose was pinched so you could hardly see it. His grin was too wide and filled with too many teeth. He laughed as he came for me._

"_No." I cried, tears streaming down my face. I knew what was next. "Please, no."_

_He wrapped my hair in his fist and yanked back as he pushed into me. I cried out again, as he continued to pull on my hair while he thrusted into me again and again. He was pulling on my hair so hard I thought my neck would break._

"_No, no, no." I cried. I didn't want this. I never wanted this._

My eyes flew open. It was dark. I clung to the blanket that was wrapped around my shoulders. As my eyes adjusted I remembered where I was, in my room, the room I shared with Cicero. I sat up, unable to shake the fear that had taken hold of me. Stepping to the floor I held in the hiss of pain that tried to escape. I reveled in the cold of the stone floor; it reminded me I was really awake. Quietly, I pulled a spare blanket from the chest at the foot of our bed and wrapped it around my shoulders.

I entered the main hall and looked around. It was empty. Normally this late Babette would be in here, working on a potion or reading; but she had left earlier that day on a contract. I was alone. I settled in front of the fire and tried to warm my hands. As I stared into the flames I thought about Master's grotesque, misshapen face. I could still his laughter in my mind, it sounded as though it was echoing off the walls of the Sanctuary. I clapped my hands over my ears and hummed trying to ignore the laughter. My fingers wound their way into my hair. I remembered the pulling. I took my hair in my fist and gave it a yank. I pulled on it time after time feeling my scalp grow sore. I couldn't take it anymore.

I stood and tore through the halls back to our room. Pulling my blade from its sheath, I made my way to the empty corner of our room. When I was done I dropped the blade to the floor. The sound pulled Cicero from his sleep, but it didn't matter, the deed was done. He sat up in the bed and looked around.

"Vilvyni?" He called into the dark. He lit a candle and in one sweep of the room found me. "Vilvyni!" He called to me as he made his way over. He placed the candle on the floor, seeing the evidence of what I had done. Seeing the dagger he took it and placed it on the short dresser nearest to him. "What have you done?" He turned back to me. He reached for me, but I jerked away, retreating further into the corner.

I tangled my fingers in my hair and pulled on it. "He wouldn't stop pulling it." The tears were running down my cheeks. "He kept pulling and pulling." I yanked my hair hard enough to pull my head back. "Pulling and pulling!" My voice was raising in pitch.

"Stop." He grabbed my wrists and pulled them from my hair. "Who was pulling your hair?" He asked gently.

I couldn't answer. My chest was heaving and I could hardly pull in enough air to breathe.

"Oh, Vilvyni." He breathed and pulled me into his arms. He picked me up and carried me out of our room, up the winding stairs and to the Night Mother's shrine. He sat down before our Unholy Matron with me in his lap.

"Mother!" He called. "Mother, please!" He looked down at me. I was shaking. "Your child is suffering!"

I began to feel myself slipping into that middle ground between consciousness and sleep. My breathing was slowing.

Cicero pulled me closer so I my head was resting on his shoulder. "Please, Mother…" He rocked me back and forth.

The pressure that I had felt last time I entered the Void returned now. I was slipping away from Cicero. All panic left my mind, I was at peace.

_Rest, my daughter._ I heard her voice speak to me, and I fell asleep.

* * *

I woke up in our room, on our bed. Cicero was asleep next to me, his hand wrapped around mine. My scalp was sore; I reached up to rub it. When my fingers touched the tips of my hair my memories from the night before returned to me. I jumped from the bed, startling Cicero. I ran to the mirror in the hall. My hair was sticking up in all directions, only about four inches long. I smiled slowly and was slowly filled with laughter. It rippled through me, growing until I thought I would be sick from laughing so hard. Once I calmed down I noticed Cicero standing near me.

I turned to look at him. "I think I am crazy." I muttered.

"Crazy?" Cicero smiled at me. "The Listener? That's… madness."

We both laughed.

We were laying in our bed, he was playing with my new hair cut while I fiddled with his amulet. "Who was pulling Flower's hair?" He finally broke the silence.

I dropped the amulet, allowing it to fall against his chest. "I had a nightmare." I looked up into his eyes. "Master use to pull my hair."

He frowned. "Flower's hair is beautiful. It should only be pulled when she wants it pulled."

I chuckled. "I am sorry."

"For what?" He continued to run his fingers through my hair.

"Ruining your night." At this his fingers stopped moving.

"It was the best night of Cicero's life." He hooked his finger under my chin and pulled it up. "Mother spoke to Cicero last night."

"What?" I sat up.

"Yes. When I brought you before the Dread Mother she took pity on her children." He sat up, so he was directly across from me. "She put you to sleep and spoke through the Listener. Used your voice to speak to poor, loyal Cicero."

I wrapped my hand lightly around my throat. "What did she say?"

"She told Cicero secrets." He grinned wickedly. "Secrets about the Listener."

"What!?" I leaned forward. "Like what?"

"Oh, tsk, tsk." He clicked his tongue. "They wouldn't be secrets if Cicero told someone, would they?"

"Why do you need to know secrets about me that I can't know?" I frowned.

"The Keeper can't keep unless he knows how." He sniffed, leaning in. "And Cicero is a good Keeper."

"I still can't believe she spoke to you." I sighed.

"Technically it's not the same as when she speaks to the Listener. Cicero still hasn't heard her voice, but I suppose it was as close as a Keeper could be allowed."

I pursed my lips.

"No, no, no." He reached across the bed and pulled the sides of my mouth up. "Listener needs to smile."

He pulled his hands away and I crossed my eyes, grinning at him.

We broke into laughter, rolling on the bed. Somehow we ended with him hovering over me. He lowered himself so his cheek was pressed into mine and his weight was pressed on me. I wrapped my arms around him, pulling him closer. He nuzzled my neck.

"I was so alone before I met you." He whispered.

I smiled. "I didn't know what love was before I met you." I replied.


	11. The Jester's Point of View I

I have always been acutely aware of what others have thought of me. Which, generally wasn't much. I had always been quiet and reserved. My mother had told others I was shy when I was little; but that wasn't it. I had just always preferred to listen and observe. Even as I grew I spent my time writing in my journals for I felt there were things in Nirn that need to be written down that others had missed.

The first time I took a life was a surprise even to me. Having been mistaken as shy my whole life I had incurred the wrath of many childhood bullies. One was particularly terrible. I didn't mind him so much, I saw him as he really was. A huge, lumbering idiot. He knew it too, that was why he picked on me. I was everything he wanted to be. I was graceful, nimble and smart. He had long since moved past me and had funneled his frustrations into other things when I found him in the field.

I heard the yelps before I even knew they were there. Ferdinand had found a small dog, probably still a puppy and had taken it out into a field where he could hurt it without being found out. When I came upon the scene the small dog had stopped moving and its blood had covered the ground around where it was laying. I had never felt anything like the anger that flooded my chest. I threw myself at the large boy, screaming and pulling his hair; anything to get him to stop kicking the poor animal.

He threw me from his shoulders and turned his pummeling to me. I had brought a small iron dagger with me that particular day as I had decided to try my hand at whittling. When the boy descended on me I pulled it out in a panic, thinking I was going to end up like the small, unmoving dog. I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the feeling of the dagger sinking into his chest, the gurgling sound he made as he sputtered his last breath, the look in his eyes when he realized what I had done. I would be lying if I said I didn't love it. I was fourteen. I threw the dagger into the lake northwest of the city and left the body in the field. The only thing I took home with me was the small dog.

That is all past now, and mostly siblings do not speak of their pasts. I have remained painfully aware of what people think of me, or since the events that happened in Cheydinhal what people think of the jester. When he first came to me from the Void I thought we had become one person, one insane, unstable being; but as I lived with him in my mind I found that rather we were like two people trying to occupy the same space. I am just as reserved as he is flamboyant. I am just as quiet as he is boisterous. I am just as sane as he is insane.

There are times when he leaves my thoughts clear, usually right when I awake in the morning, or right before I fall asleep at night. He dominates in times of extreme emotion, where as I dominate when there is peace or when our blade is needed to defend Mother. Mostly though, it feels like fighting with a child. I will build my thoughts, clear and structured; but just before I share them with another he barrels in and knocks them all over the place. So all I am left with to share is fragments of what I had been thinking, disjointed pieces of a full thought. For the most part it was just easier to let him do as he pleased.

Since coming to Skyrim I found that I was not only still filled with an aching loneliness, but it was coupled with a bitter coldness as well. More and more I was becoming the victim of my own temper. As long as I was alone it wasn't a problem, I could scold and mock myself with no remorse; but when I would lash out at another, injure or kill another for any reason other than Mother's defense I would regret it. In the dark, cold, loneliness of the night I would chastise myself for not exercising caution and restraint. One wrong move and someone would see me, see Mother and then we would never make it to our new home, all because I couldn't control myself. The jester would mock me; tell me I am just as big a fool as he is.

I didn't understand how these Nords could prance around in their armor with little to nothing protecting them from the cold. Even their women were large, menacing and wore nothing to protect them from the cold winds. I was an Imperial in my heart and felt as though women should be graceful and delicate, not helpless mind you. Nothing was sexier than a woman who could hold her own in both words and with a dagger, but they needed to be women. Not a man in a dress.

Normally when I came across someone while away from the Sanctuary I would either ignore them, or kill them, convincing myself they had seen me and could identify me later. When I saw the mostly naked, blood covered Dunmer woman kneeling on the road, begging for help something in me saw the small dog in the field, but that wasn't what prompted me to take her home. It was her hair. Her hair was beautiful, how I had always imagined Mother's hair. It almost glowed in the moonlight.

She had blacked out when I grabbed her arm, so I knew I could take her home without risking her seeing where our Sanctuary was hidden. I knew it was risky, but I wasn't technically breaking a tenant. She was covered in blood, and it wasn't hers. Perhaps she could become a sibling; our family was still so small. When I brought her into the Sanctuary the serious Redguard showed his disapproval with a grunt.

"If she becomes a problem, you will be dealing with it." He said, jabbing his finger into my chest.

"Cicero knows." I rolled my eyes.

I carried her down into my room and laid her on my bed. She was filthy. Not just from the blood that was splattered all over, which I enjoyed, but she was covered in mud and dirt. She was small, maybe in her late teens. When I began to clean her skin I found that she seemed older than that. Her hands were the more defined, delicate hands of a woman, her face was more pointed and not as round as a youth. After finishing cleaning her and spending longer than necessary brushing out her hair, I left her to rest.

I had only just returned when she awoke. At first it was her hair, when she opened them, it became her eyes. They were wide and almond shaped, like many Dunmer, but only her irises were the telltale red. The red seemed to almost glow; I had always had a love for Dunmer women's blood colored eyes.

When she spoke it became her voice. It was soft, listless almost. I had never heard a more beautiful voice. She sounded like the whisper of a breeze.

When she was embarrassed, it became the flush in her cheeks; like a kiss of pink left on a white flower petal.

When she walked, it became the sway of her hips. She was still visibly shaken when she first moved around the room, but there was a grace in her step I adored.

Then, as though all the other things weren't enough for me to love her instantly, it became her smile. It was beautiful. Wide, almost laughing it lit up her whole face; making all the other things I enjoyed pale in comparison.

I wanted to present her to Mother. I had convinced myself that was why I had brought her here, to be a gift for Mother. I felt like she was prettier than any of the flowers I could have brought, and therefore a better offering.

She seemed to enjoy Mother's presence, and she was respectful enough. She even recognized Mother's Dunmer beauty! Oh how it made my heart sore to watch her marvel in the dread beauty that is our Matron. But the meeting was cut short when she began to not feel well. I helped her back to my bed, where she quickly fell asleep.

I didn't want to leave her alone, so I found things to do in my room, mostly drawing in my journal. At first it was just doodling, but it soon became an eye, that was soon surrounded by the face of the lovely Dunmer in my bed. She had told me her name, and I remembered it, but I felt she was more of a flower than a name. I hummed to myself, trying to fill the silence that was becoming a grave reminder that Mother still hadn't chosen a Listener. I always hummed the same tune; it was one my mother had sung when I was small; something about a crow.

I had spent several hours trying to finalize the details on my sketch and I was beginning to feel tired myself. It had been about two days since I had slept and I found myself exhausted. I wanted to check on her one more time before sleeping at the table. I leaned over her on the opposite side of the bed from where she slept, so if she woke I could play it off as doing something near the small table. I had to crawl on to the bed to get a good look at her face. She was sleeping, peacefully, it seemed.

I couldn't help but smile, she was so beautiful. Maybe if I laid down slowly, quietly I could just rest next to her. I was quickly engulfed in sleep.

When I awoke it was dark, the single candle I had left lit had gone out and I panicked when I realized the woman was gone. The Redguard was going to kill me, and then Mother would punish me. I crept through the hallway trying to be as quiet as possible, so as not to alert anyone else that I had lost our guest.

I was making my way towards the Sanctuary door, sure that she would have left and I would have to kill her in the woods just beyond where we were. As I rounded the corner to where I had set up Mother's shrine I found her. She was standing before Mother, just staring at her. Several emotions ran through me at once, I was happy she found our Mother so fascinating but I was angered that she dared get so close to Mother without me there. It was my job to care for Mother's body so she could speak when she chose to and this woman was within three feet of her with no one around.

I made my way silently to the pillar nearest the shrine, if she was planning something terrible I didn't want to give her a chance to execute it.

"Yes, Mother." She breathed.

What was she doing? My eyes went wide. She was speaking to Mother. Not just speaking to Mother, oh no, I speak to Mother all the time. She was responding to something Mother was telling her. She was listening to Mother. My heart jammed itself up in my throat, I felt like I was going to choke and die then and there. My eyes filled with hopeful tears. For so long I had looked and looked for the Listener. I had even thought for a while that I could be the Listener and I didn't understand when Mother wouldn't choose me. She never chose anyone. She never spoke. She was always dreadfully silent.

"Yes, Mother." She breathed again.

Still more words? What could she be hearing Mother say? I would have to get the binding words from her; the words hidden deep in the Keeping Tomes. The only way for Mother to speak to poor, loyal Cicero. I was shaking, convulsing almost. If she couldn't produce them I would have to strike her dead before our Mother as proof that I was filling my duties and protecting her. I couldn't stand it anymore, I had to know. If I was to crush the Flower I wanted to know now.

"F…" I tried to form the word, but she didn't hear me. "F…Flower?" I gasped, louder.

She turned to look at me, concern on her face. "Flower was speaking to Mother?" I asked.

She smiled softly. Oh, how it made my heart ache. I didn't want to crush this Flower, please, please say the words!

"Cicero." She called to me, holding out her hands for me. I ran to her and took them.

"Please," I was on the brink of sobbing. "Flower must whisper the words. Tell Cicero the words he has waited to hear, please, end my tormented silence, Flower." I squeezed her hands, my heart resting in them.

She looked me in the eyes, I was going mad. She leaned forward and pressed her lips to my forehead, making my heart skip a beat. "Darkness rises when silence dies." She whispered in my ear. My legs gave out and I felt to my knees.

"Cicero lives to serve, oh great Listener!" I cried. My chest was heaving. I couldn't believe the moment was here, I had found the Listener. Found her on the side of a road. I brought her here, I found her.

She crouched in front of me, meeting her eyes with mine. I had tears and snot running down my face like a child. "You're not alone anymore Cicero. I am with you now. We are family." She wiped away some of my tears.

I could feel the jester's smile spread across my face, for once in my life I was grateful for it. I had never been good at smiling, and I wanted her to know how pleased I was even though I was at a loss for words. "Yes!" I exclaimed, so happy to finally hear those words. "Family."

* * *

**I would like to say thank you to everyone who reads and reviews! It was a comment from one such review that sparked the idea for the next few chapters being from Cicero's point of view. So sit back and enjoy the sad, amusing insanity that will ensue.**


	12. The Jester's Point of View II

I should have seen it coming. Stupid, blind, foolish Cicero! I knew it, I knew it, I knew it! I knew it the moment I saw them in the hall, his hands all over her. I should have put my blade though his heart then, but I was being obedient. 'The fifth tenet! The fifth tenet!' My mind shouted at me. I had to stay my blade.

I should have watched her. I shouldn't have let her go. I was so busy finding flowers for Mother that I forgot about the slinky, lying, false brother. She was so eager to find good flowers for Mother, how could I tell her no? Found one minute, lost the next. Oh, Listener! I am a failure as Keeper. I can't even keep a delicate flower.

I dropped my basket, all the tediously collected flowers spilling on the ground. I turned in a circle, again and again. No Listener. No Flower. My hands found my hair and pulled. Mother would punish me for sure; I had allowed her Listener to be taken. I called out, screamed out into the forest. Maybe they weren't far, but there was only silence. Silence. Always the silence. My eyes filled with tears. My beautiful flower had been taken because I was too foolish to watch her.

I sunk to the ground, lost. I could hear the banging on the Cheydinhal Sanctuary door again. Banging, banging, deep, resonating banging. It was happening again. Siblings were being taken in the light, it was so sad and so funny. An assassin killed like a common farmer. The jester's grin was cracking my face in two and I couldn't stand it. I brought my knees to my chest. I didn't want to be alone again. I didn't want the silence.

That was when I saw it. Through my tears I saw the blood, under the nightshade bush. My fear and panic was overshadowed by anger. Flower wasn't lost. Flower was stolen.

I burst through the Sanctuary door, yelling and sputtering.

"False! Lying! Deceitful brother!" I screamed until the Redguard found me.

"What is it Keeper?" He asked, crossing his arms.

"The false brother has taken the Listener!" I yelled at him, angered by his passiveness.

At those words his face changed. I could see the panic I had felt earlier dance across his face. I explained the events in the hall, the sneakiness of the lying sibling. The nightshade bush, the blood. I told all.

We mounted horses, riding into the darkness of night. We would find our Listener and when we did I would put the fear of Sithis into the False Brother.

Hours, hours of looking. It was cold, so cold my joints felt like the creaky trees around us. Finally, finally the call came out.

"I found her!" The Redguard yelled. I followed. I had to see her, to find her again. I pushed my mount, faster, faster towards the torch.

They were all hunched around her, I wanted to tear through them and wrap my arms around her. I dismounted, but the un-child warned me away.

Bad. It had to be bad. The vampire had blood all over her hands and she wouldn't let poor Cicero see the Listener. No. No. No. I pulled on my face. The jester spun me in a circle. Alone. Alone. Alone. Mother silenced again. All because Cicero was a poor Keeper.

"You're the fastest rider. I want you to take her back to the Sanctuary. In my room there are healing potions, give her one and lay her down. I need you to wrap her face if I don't get there before then." The un-child instructed me.

Hope. I felt hope rise in my chest. Yes. Yes. Yes. "Cicero will be like the wind." The Listener was wrapped in a blanket. She looked so small and frail. My mind flitted back to the bloody, broken puppy I took home. I couldn't fail her.

She whimpered as my horse flew to the Sanctuary. I held her as tight as I could; I pressed her naked skin against my motley, hoping she could feel my body heat beneath the fabric. She was cold. So cold. Her body shivered and I wanted nothing more than to warm her.

These damned doors. They kept us safe, always made Cicero feel safe. Not tonight. Tonight it enraged me. Don't ask your stupid questions! But the door must be answered, or the entry will be barred. That didn't stop me from screaming, flinging words at the door. Stupid door.

Once inside I carried the Listener downstairs, down into the warmth of the Sanctuary. I placed her on the bed and left to get the supplies un-child had told me to get. I looked at the shelf, I was terrible with potions. Always had been. Bandages, those I knew. I grabbed the biggest bundle I could find. Potion, red potion for health. For healing and pain relief. The Listener was injured. I hadn't even taken the time to see how badly.

Returning to her side I calmed my raging mind. I needed the peace and calm for her. I needed to be lucid and aware, not erratic and disjointed. I showed her the potion. "You need to drink this."

She shook her head, her hands covering her face. I looked her over; she seemed fine, just covered in blood. The injuries must be to her face, she was hiding them from me. I reached for her hands that were protecting what was causing her pain. She jerked away. My chest tightened; if she was refusing to let me touch her it must be bad. Maybe it was my gloves. I held out my hands. "My gloves?" I removed them. "There, only Cicero's hands now."

She seemed placated, allowing me to move her hands. When I was able to see what had been hidden my chest felt hollow. He had cut her face up. Butchered it. The cuts that ran from her eyes didn't seem that bad, painful, but able to heal quickly. Her cheeks were a different story; the slits he had ripped into her face were serious. They crawled from the corners of her mouth to where her jaw was connected to her skull. How she must be suffering.

My fingers hovered over her cheeks, I wanted to heal them, but I had never been good at magic. The potion would help with her pain. "You _need_ to drink this." I held up the vial. She nodded. I instructed her to lean her head back; I would try to do most of the work for her. I could see the relief in her eyes as the pain reliever hit her system.

I wrapped her face as best I could and helped her lay down. I watched as blood mingled with other fluids and seeped through her bandages. I held her hand and did my best to soothe her while we waited for the un-child to return. I hummed to her, she seemed to like that.

* * *

My back and ass ached. I had only slept once since the night she went missing, and both had been at the table in our room. I would spend most of my time sitting at the table in our room, I wanted to be available for when she needed me, help eating, help changing, someone to talk to her. Mostly she slept. Once I was sure she was deep in sleep I would sneak away to care for Mother. I would ball up before her shrine, begging for forgiveness for allowing her Listener to be taken. I hadn't been punished yet, so I was hopeful that forgiveness would come, in time.

The Redguard brought news of the False Brother. He had been burnt alive in the cave we think Flower had come from. He had found two other bodies in the cave, but they had been dead much longer. He also described several things that normally were kept for Horker poaching, but I had a strong feeling were used for something else.

I had settled down for my second time sleeping at the table when the un-child patted me on the shoulder. "She'll be better soon. Her recovery is coming along very well."

I smiled at the small Breton. She had done such a good job caring for Flower when I couldn't. I would have to remember to thank her for that, and to ask her for medical training for the future. I watched her make her way from our room. Flower was settling into the bed to sleep. I watched her from where I had laid my head on the table. I hummed for her. I tried to always hum for her when she was falling asleep.

I don't know when I fell asleep, but I was pulled from my dream when a hand settled on my shoulder. I jerked up, trying to make out the blurry face above me. "Listener?" Maybe I was still dreaming. She didn't have bandages on, like in my dream. The face came into focus and nodded.

I jumped from my seat. Her face was unbandaged! She looked as lovely as I remembered. The scars above and below her eyes were delicate and although they were swollen the ones on her cheeks reminded me of a jester's make up. I wanted to touch her face, but I didn't want to cause her pain. How long had it been? Too long. She needed to eat something solid. So, instead of touching her face I took her hands. "Cicero will get the Listener a sweetroll!" For what was better than a sweetroll when one was sick? I didn't think anything was.

She stopped at the mirror in the hall. I had never paid it much attention. Mirrors were confusing for me, when I looked in them I didn't see myself anymore. I saw the Jester. She was running her fingertips along the scars; I knew the look in her eyes. It was the same one I would give myself when I was trying to see myself how I was before. I didn't want her to feel lost; she was just as beautiful as before.

"Cicero thinks a smile is perfect on the Listener." I mumbled. I hoped it was the right thing to say, I had always been terrible with women.

It wasn't. I heart ached to see the pain in her eyes. She didn't see herself anymore; she saw what the False Brother wanted her to be. I wanted her to see what I saw, but I stayed quiet.

* * *

I wanted to caress her face, to hold her hands, to hold her like a man holds a woman. I wanted to touch her, but I could still see fear in her eyes when I drew near to her. It wasn't fear of me; it was fear of being touched. Fear of being forced. So I refrained. My skin burned when I stood near her, it ached to be pressed against her in anyway. Sometimes I would get little reliefs from my agony. She would touch my shoulder, my elbow; occasionally she would rest her hand on my back. Sitting next to her while we ate was perfection! She would rest her knee against mine the whole time. She would smile at my jokes and her laughter would ring through the hall.

When she offered to get me something to eat I hadn't thought anything of it. Then she whispered in my ear and I could feel my blood burning. I would be lying if I said I didn't love the feeling of her breath on my ear, but the jester sprung on the situation while I was spinning from her words.

I knew I should fight him, I should let her be, but I was enjoying the reactions that were coming from her as I stared at her. That was when I realized I didn't see the fear anymore, only her blush and stammering embarrassment were present. She was looking away now, I couldn't have that. I wanted to see her face. I hooked my finger under her chin and pulled it to mine. My heart was pounding in my chest, if only she knew how she made me feel she wouldn't be so self-conscious.

Finally I released her, telling her what I wanted to eat. The flush in her face was exquisite.

* * *

My heart stopped. There was someone touching Mother! A child from the look of it, with dirt smeared all over their face. I panicked. I screamed and threw myself between them. Listener would set this right, where was she? Off doing something silly, no doubt, allowing this child to wonder freely about the Sanctuary.

"I am right here." The child looked at me strangely, but in a familiar way.

Lies. I pushed my face into hers. No, no, no. The Listener had silver hair and her face wasn't all painted up.

She pulled her hat off. "I painted my face today." Her voice was the Listeners and with her hair down I could see it. I focused on the paint; it wasn't as broken as I had first thought. It was a smile. For the first time I allowed my fingers to trace where her scars were. It was her. She looked like a jester. She had painted her face to look like what the False Brother had forced on her. For the first time she looked pleased with her face.

"Just paint your face the shadows smile." I sung my favorite line. "It is you." I couldn't help but sweep her up in a hug. I crushed her against my chest, reveling in the feeling of her chest against mine. I didn't want to put her down, but I knew I had to.

"I told you once that a smile looks perfect on the Listener."

She looked wonderfully frightful. Cicero the man loved how pretty she was with her smile back and Cicero the fool loved the beautiful new jester. I was having trouble controlling myself, I knew I needed to hold the Jester back or there would be trouble but I was fighting my own urges as well.

So I turned away from her, back to the flowers I had collected for Mother. She inquired about the line from the song I had mentioned.

"Oh, something Cicero heard a long time ago." I didn't want to tell her why I actually sang that song, only that song. "Something about a crow."

"I am glad you like it." She mused behind me. She was concerned with how I felt about her face paint. This made me almost giddy. A woman had never cared what I thought about her face. I had to turn and look at her; she had plucked the perfect strings in my mind.

"Oh, does Flower think of Cicero when she makes herself pretty?" My breathing was heavy. I wanted to touch her face again. I wanted to run my fingers through her hair. I wanted to hold her.

I had backed her into the bench and was leaning down over her. The Jester was almost throwing a fit in my mind; he wanted her just as bad as I did. "Cicero is pleased to see another jester." Her blush, just barely showing under her paint was pressing me further. I leaned in, gods she smelled wonderful. "Perhaps Flower had painted somewhere else she wishes Cicero to see as well?" I smiled wickedly, and only part of it was the Jester.

I loved watching her squirm. She was adorable. The flush in her cheeks, her grip on the bench, her staggered breathing. I had to pull away. I had been teasing her, but I found she was teasing me just as much.

* * *

I watched her from across the table while we all ate dinner together. She was laughing at something the un-child had said, her cheeks full of food. I could watch her smile until I was sent to the Void. It had been so long since she had smiled, really smiled. I didn't realize how much I had missed it.

She looked down to her plate and then lifted her eyes to mine. I couldn't look away, and I felt like she couldn't either. We stared at one another and time seemed to slow. I was pulled from my trance when something bumped my feet. My eyes widened when she gave me a quick wink and a half smile. She was pressing the side of her foot into mine. I couldn't believe it. She was going out of her way to make physical contact with me. I fought the Jester back. He wanted to flip around the room, do somersaults and handstands. He was elated. I reminded him, over and over that if I moved we would break the contact. So I sat, enjoying the feeling of her foot resting against mine.


	13. The Jester's Point of View III

Listener was good at being sneaky, but as soon as she made that board squeak I knew he would find us. I had to protect her. I let go of her belt that I had tucked my fingers into, cutting myself off from the invisibility spell I had secretly applied to her armor. He had to find someone, and I would let him find me.

I wasn't surprised to find that Flower was half Imperial. She explained to his how her mother had been ill-treated and abused by this man, her father. She had never known the origins of her father or that he wasn't a Dunmer like her mother. She had always assumed she was pure blood, and that she just looked different. I had seen the Imperial in her a few days after she joined us. She had asked me to join her on her first contract. I had been unsure initially, but when I had been forbidden from going with her to Riften I wasn't about to let her go alone to Solitude.

My heart ached at the idea of her getting caught and this man treating her as cruelly as he had her mother, or worse. I would join her. I wouldn't draw my blade or send his soul to Sithis; that was for the Listener as Mother had commanded. I was simply a ride along to keep the Listener while she was away.

As soon as he locked eyes with me I drew my blade and grinned wickedly at him. "Oh, it doesn't matter how you hide, find you if were wanting to." I laughed, throwing myself at him. He was a mage. Didn't see that coming. Damn magic users.

I heard several cracks when I collided with the wall. My vision went red when my head struck the hard rock and my chest hurt. Suddenly I felt hands wrap around my neck, even though the man was on the other side of the room. I saw a ripple behind the Imperial and my Flower appeared, panic on her face. She wanted me to see her; she was unknowingly controlling her armor. She was gifted. My vision was growing spotted; I was going to die here. At least I would die looking at the beautiful face of my Flower. My vision went black and I could feel myself slipping into unconsciousness when suddenly the hands around my throat were released, flooding my lungs with air.

When my vision came back the first thing I saw was the Listener. She was straddling the Imperial with her dagger twirling on his chest, just above his heart. She was beautiful. Terribly beautiful, much like a nightshade bloom. The look on her face as she asked the man to tell her a story was inspiring, she looked like death incarnate. Her eyes wide, her teeth bared in a stretched, contorted grin. I closed my eyes and sunk to my side as she pressed the dagger into his chest. Killing was an intimate moment, not one I wanted to share with her and her father. It should remain between them.

"Cicero?" I heard her call to me.

"Fine, Listener." I rasped, my throat felt tight still, I couldn't manage to catch my breath. I wiped away the blood that had been dribbling down my chin. "Cicero had a first row seat to the beautiful show." I grinned at her.

"You took quite a beating." She smiled softly, helping me stand. "It will need patched." She ran her fingers down the front of my motley. Even in my pained state, my heart leapt in my chest.

"Nothing new." My voice was slipping from me, I could feel it. She pulled my hands from my throat.

"You will be bruised." She frowned. I hated that frown, even when it was displayed as concern for me. Flower should always smile. "I am sorry; it is my fault he found you."

"Listener can repay me later." I grinned slyly at her, my thoughts lingering on her death grin.

"I'd love to, but first we need to get out of here." She looked around for a quick way to escape, choosing the very window we had entered the small house through.

"Listener." I reached for her arm. "Don't…" I was getting worried. I shouldn't be having this much trouble breathing still. I had taken several severe beatings in my time and I never remembered feeling quite like this. "Don't let go of Cicero."

"Of course." She took my hand and gave it a light squeeze. "Let's go."

I followed her lead. She pulled me through the city into the forest. I tried to keep up with her pace, but I was feeling more and more tired. My body was giving out on me and there wasn't anything I could do.

* * *

I dreamed for a very long time. I knew I was dreaming, but I didn't want it to end. It had been such a long time since it had been just me in my mind for an extended period. I knew that what was happening wasn't real, but I didn't want to let go of the hope that maybe I could forget the real world and stay here for the rest of my life.

I couldn't help but be saddened when I was pulled away from my dream world. That is, until I opened my eyes and saw her sleeping next to me. Her head was on the pillow right next to my shoulder and her hand was splayed across my chest. My eyes began to tear up as I laid my hand over hers. I watched her smile in her sleep. In my sleep I had forgotten that she was real, I thought she only existed in my dream and I had invented her to ease my loneliness. I watched her sleep until the un-child brought some food and sat down next to the bed.

My stomach growled at the sight of food and I suddenly felt so hungry that my stomach turned. I was grateful for the simple food she brought, bread, cheese and dried meat. I felt as though I hadn't eaten in months.

I looked over at my sleeping Flower while I chewed on some bread. She was so beautiful, even when she was faking sleep.

"She was worried for you." The small Vampire took a drink from her cup.

"Cicero was surprised to see her here when he woke up." I confessed. I really had forgotten she was waiting for me on the other side of consciousness.

"She actually climbed in there with you over a day ago. She hadn't slept much since you two returned."

I sighed. "Always caring and kind, our Listener." I couldn't contain myself, I knew she was awake but I wanted so badly to reach out and touch her, to confirm that she was really there. My hands found her hair and I ran my fingers through it, just like I had done the night she had been attacked by the False Brother.

"Alright, well if you are done eating, I want you to lay back and rest some more." The un-child stood and gathered all the plates, save one. "I am going to leave this plate here in case she wakes. Please try to get her to eat when she does."

"Yes, Cicero will care for the Listener." I nodded to her, I had promised to keep the Listener and I would hold myself to that promise.

"Just paint your face, the shadows smile. Slipping me away from you." I sang softly.

I found it amusing that she was still pretending to sleep. She didn't want to move, either from embarrassment or comfort. I thought of the flush that would fill her cheeks when she was embarrassed. I knew it was cruel, but I wanted to see that lovely pink under her skin.

"Cicero knows the Flower is awake, but you don't have to move if you don't want to."

She stiffened. Slowly, shaking her hand reached out from under the blanket and rested on mine.

"Oh, so Flower is awake." I laced her fingers in mine.

"Yes." There it was, the blush that I had wanted to see. It made my heart race and my mind fill with suggestive thoughts.

"Like Cicero said, you don't need to get up."

"But I should." Her hand tightened around mine. "I should help care for you."

"Flower is caring for Cicero." I couldn't help it, I wanted to see more of her face. It had felt like an eternity since I had laid eyes on her and I wanted to drink in her beauty. "Cicero doesn't like to be alone."

Her eyes filled with tears. Oh, tears. Sweet tears for humble Cicero. The Listener was truly generous. She sat up and moved so she was pressed against me. This time my skin flushed, burning from within. I wanted her closer, so I wrapped my free arm around her and caressed her face. Her hair was obscuring my view of her smile so I tucked it behind her ear.

"I thought I had lost you." She breathed.

Lost me? Oh, sweet Flower. Cicero had promised to care for you, even if it took lifetimes, I would have found my way back to you. "Oh, Listener will have to try harder than that to kill loyal Cicero."

She sniffled. "I felt alone, like I was trapped in that cage again." She wrapped her fingers in my hair. "I couldn't stand the thought of losing you."

My heart swelled with an ache I knew all too well. Loneliness had been my constant for so long I was strained to try and remember much else. I never wanted Flower to feel that. When the Speaker spoke of the cage in cave, the one that was meant for horkers, I knew it was hers. My mind filled with images of her locked in there alone. I couldn't stand it. I was filled with a deep sadness, knowing that she had spent years in that cage and the Jester was sparked with anger, a bitter, hateful anger.

I pulled her closer, so her forehead was resting against my chin, I didn't want her to see the Jester's anger burning in my eyes. "I will never leave you alone in that cage. Ever. I promise you that."

She pulled away, searching for my eyes. "You were asleep for a very long time."

"Yes." I let her go, trying to calm the Jester. Perhaps some activity, to change my thoughts. "Cicero can feel it in his bones."

"A bath!" She exclaimed, her voice excited. "You should soak in a hot bath."

There is was. I had found something else to occupy my thoughts. "Listener, if you want to get Cicero naked, you need only say so."

"Stop." She flashed me her amazing grin and hit me in the shoulder. A sharp pain ripped through my chest.

"Oh, I am so sorry!" She placed her hands on either side of my face. My eyes locked with hers and I could feel the heat rising under my skin anew.

"I suppose I deserved it." I pulled away.

"I will get you a bath ready." She crawled from the bed.

"Wait." I called to her. I was a faithful Keeper and wouldn't let the tremendous view of her backside she was giving me deter me from my duties. "You must eat first."

"I am alright, I will eat when you are in the…" Her stomach growled, betraying her.

I laughed. "Eat."

"Fine." She surrendered and climbed back onto the bed.

* * *

I ran my fingers over the fine nightshirt that she had said was mine. Aside from the motley, which I had taken, it was the nicest garment I had ever owned. I pulled it over my head as I listened to her root through her drawers for something.

When I turned around she had sat on the bed. "Here." She held out something small and gold. I looked closer at it and my heart stopped.

It was an amulet of Mara.

My heart started again, pounding in my ears. She didn't know. She couldn't know. She never would have given it to me if she knew.

"This, is for Cicero?" I asked, making sure.

"Yes." She pushed it towards me, blushing. Maybe she did know.

I took it from her. It was a beautiful piece, it looked almost new. No, no, no. She didn't know. The Jester's grin spread across my face. She didn't know, but I knew. Cicero knew how Nords shared this with one another, or wore them when marriage was on their minds. I looked at her out of the corner of my eyes. She looked lovely in her nightgown, leaning on her elbow. Her jester's makeup and hair that tumbled down to the bed called me to her, both the Jester and the man.

"Flower really likes Cicero, doesn't she?" I would test the waters, see how much she knew.

She blushed. "Well, I…"

I sat on the bed, if she knew what the amulet meant she would have just told me. "Cicero likes the Listener." I scooted closer to her, feeling the heat from her body.

She licked her lips. Oh, gods. I couldn't contain it any longer, I had to taste them for myself. She looked shocked when I pressed my lips to hers. I cradled her face in my hands, letting the amulet hang from my fingers. I had to pull back. If I didn't I wouldn't be able to contain myself from other things. My skin was aching to touch hers. To feel the smoothness of her back, the suppleness of her breasts and the heat of her thighs. I broke the contact.

I held up the small golden amulet. "Do you know what this is?"

"A necklace." She shrugged. Oh, the sweetness of Flower, she was too soft hearted.

I could feel my grin widen, she didn't know. "It's what Nord's give one another, or wear when they want to get married."

The flush that covered her cheeks ran down her neck and even colored her breasts, I reveled in the glow it gave her. She was devastatingly beautiful.

"Cicero knows Flower didn't know." I settled into the bed and laid the necklace on my side table. "But Flower still got something very special for Cicero." I laid down, facing away from her. I couldn't look at her anymore or I would have lost all control to the Jester.

Silence. She didn't move and the silence was weighing on me like a mammoth.

"Oh, does the Listener want an answer?" I chuckled, trying to lighten the tension. I sat back up and looked at her in the dark.

"Cicero could never say no to the Listener." I teased. "Good night." I stole one more kiss from her cheek and laid back down.

I couldn't sleep. I stayed wide-awake most of the night.

* * *

I sat outside our bedroom door. Listener was angry with Cicero.

I couldn't help myself. When I had awoken from the little sleep I had gotten the night before she was already up and in the main hall, but she had laid my motley out for me. When I saw the care she had taken with my clothes to repair not only the places she had needed to cut to remove them from my unconscious body, but the patches as well, I could hardly contain my tears. No one had ever kept poor Cicero. Cicero was always the Keeper, keeping Mother, keeping the Listener, keeping siblings. No one kept the Keeper.

I had gone too far. I had teased too much, but as much as Cicero is the Keeper, he is the Fool of Hearts, Laughter Incarnate. What else could I be?

So, I sat outside. I listened to her mumble to herself as she hurried about the room. She was moving things, cleaning from the sound of it. Soon she quieted. Silence fell on the other side of the door, but I knew I needed to give her more time. So I rested, curled in a ball, leaning on the door. I had no idea how long I slept outside the door, but I felt it had been long enough. I knocked lightly.

"Yes?" She called. She didn't sound angry.

"Please don't be angry with Cicero, Listener." I murmured. "The Fool of Hearts can only act as a fool, but please don't be angry."

I thought she was ignoring my plea and had turned away to leave when I heard her knock on the door.

"Please don't be angry with Flower, Keeper." She spoke through the door. "I am new at being a jester and am not use to feeling like a fool. So, please don't be angry." I could hear her right against the door. I wanted to reach through the closed door and pull her to me. I wanted to feel her against my chest. All I could do was run my fingers along the rough wood.

"Never." I whispered, laying my forehead against the door.

I heard the sound of the lock being released, she was letting Cicero in! I burst through the door and swept her up in my arms. I spun around in a circle, I was so elated! I pressed my forehead to hers, feeling her skin against mine. "Cicero was afraid you would stay in here forever." I slowed the circles we were making. "Cicero would be alone again."

Loneliness. The one thing I feared above all others. I was never truly alone on my travels, Mother was always with me, but Mother was always silent. Silent like a grave. I couldn't stand the idea of that loneliness again, not after meeting Flower. The thought of it made my chest feel tight and my heart hurt.

She wrapped her fingers in my hair, giving it a slight tug, sending shivers down my spine. "I won't leave you alone." She whispered.

"Listener is too kind to poor Cicero." I breathed.

* * *

The sound that woke me up was in our room. My first thoughts were of the False Brother returning to take Flower. I instinctively threw my arm over her, or where she should have been. Her side of the bed was empty.

"Vilvyni?" I called into the blackness of our room. I fumbled with my striker, but got a candle lit and swept the room. There was no intruder, but Flower was huddled in a corner, whimpering. As I made my way towards her it was obvious something was very wrong. Her dagger was on the floor surrounded by something. As I got closer I realized what it was and my heart broke. Her beautiful hair was laying in pools around her feet.

I moved her dagger, placing it out of her reach. Setting the candle down I was able to see her face. Her eyes were wide and her cheeks streaked with tears. I reached for her, I wanted to comfort her but she jerked away. Her eyes were filled with fear, the same fear that had plagued her both when she first arrived here and again after the False Brother had taken her. She reached up for her hair and began pulling it, violently.

"He wouldn't stop pulling it." She looked crazed, like she was caught somewhere else, somewhere in her mind I couldn't reach. "Pulling and pulling." She was yanking harder and harder.

"Stop." I grabbed her wrists, forcing her to release her hair. "Who was pulling your hair?" I asked, but I had an idea who she meant.

She just whimpered and began to shake. She needed help, help I couldn't give. She needed someone who could reach where she was lost in her own mind. Mother! The Listener and Mother were bound by their minds. Mother would be able to help. I pulled her into my arms and carried her to Mother's shrine.

I called out, again and again. Soon her shaking stopped, that had to be a good sign. I cradled her, pulling her head to my chest. I continued to beg Mother to help her. I rocked her until she stopped crying, her breathing became even and she went limp, like she was asleep. I looked down at her. Her eyes were open. Something was wrong.

"Flower?" I shook her, but there was no response. "Listener?" I shook her again. "Vilvyni?" I was beginning to panic. "No, no, no!" I cried pulling her to my chest again.

Suddenly her hand gripped my nightshirt. My heart leapt in my chest, she was alright. I looked into her eyes, but I didn't see her looking back. The white in her eyes that was the telltale sign that she was a half-breed was gone, replaced by the full red eyes of a pure-blood Dunmer. She pushed me away and stood before me.

"Cicero." It was her voice, but wasn't at the same time. "Keeper."

I remained on the floor, looking up at her. "M…" I was trembling. "Mother?"

"Yes." She smiled.

I hurried to my knees, pressing my forehead to the floor. "The Keeper isn't worthy!" I cried.

"You do not hear my voice, Keeper. Only my words." She pressed her hand into the back of my head.

"Yes, Mother." I dared not raise my head.

"I have given the Listener a duty she must fulfill, and now I have one for you."

"Yes, anything for you Mother." I stammered.

"This Listener is my chosen one, she is strong but her mind is filled with broken, half hazard memories. She needs you as you need her. You two were meant for one another. Together you will rebuild the family."

"Yes, Mother." I couldn't believe what I was being told. Flower was meant for me.

When Mother was done telling me how to care for Flower she released her mind. I took her back to our bed, just as she had told me to do. I covered her gently with her favorite blanket and climbed in next to her. I stroked her hair and hummed to her while I watched her sleep, my free fingers playing with my amulet.


	14. The Warning

I didn't understand these feelings. I had never felt this way before. I had always disliked physical contact; in fact unless I was the one initiating it, I dreaded it. I had been growing more accustom to the regular everyday touches, fingertips on the elbow, a hand on the back or a hand hold. But these feelings were new. I found myself wanting to touch him and be touched by him. I loved it when he would hold my face, press his hand into the small of my back, and hold my hands. I wanted to hold him and be held. Being near him made my whole body ache.

I watched him dance around the main hall while he read aloud to us from a book he had found. Azura and the Box, I think he had said. We were all sitting at the long, wooden dinner table near the fire. It was rare that we were all home for an evening. Normally at least one of us would be away on contract. To celebrate Cicero had declared he wanted to regale us with a dramatic reading. Everyone had been excited, save Nazir, who was never one for Cicero's antics. I had to poke and pry to finally get him to relent and join us. It was after all, meant to be a bonding experience to make us a closer family.

I loved watching him as he read the different parts. His face would change with the change in the mood, he had different voices for the different characters and he would move about, acting out the scenes as best as he could. I rested my chin on my hands and took in the moment. We were all here, all safe and enjoying watching our Keeper keep us.

I should have known it was the calm before the storm. I should have understood the warning the Night Mother gave me. My brothers and sister would still be alive if I had.

* * *

It was late at night and darkness filled our room. I had felt Cicero get up from the bed a few minutes prior and I was waiting for him to come back. My mind began to dance the line between being awake and asleep. I felt something move by my toes. I wiggled them, trying to get it to stop. It moved again, more defined and near my foot. I kicked my foot this time and moved it. I was still not thinking clearly, but as soon as someone grabbed my ankle and began to drag me off the bed I was fully alert.

I braced for the impact of the cold, stone floor but I was caught and softly laid down before being drug under the bed.

Our bed was tall. I had never really realized how tall until I was lying on my back under it with Cicero pressed into my body above me. His face was hovering inches from mine. His eyes were wide, scared. He pressed his index finger into my lips, signaling that I needed to keep quiet.

"What…?" He didn't like that I disobeyed him. He covered my mouth with his hand and shook his head. We laid there in the silence, Cicero's weight bearing down on me. Once the initial panic subsided I realized he was still only in his nightshirt and I could feel the heat from his body seeping through my nightgown. I could feel blush surfacing on my skin. He didn't seem to notice, he was busy listening to a distant, nonexistent noise.

I swallowed hard, trying to calm my growing need to hold him against me. I could feel an almost animalistic need to pull his shirt off and make him mine. He looked back into my eyes. He seemed distant, like his body was here, but he wasn't.

"Do you hear it?" He whispered. "They're trying to break the door down. Bang, bang, bang." He removed his hand from my mouth.

"I don't hear anything." I did try to hear it, but all I could hear were Nazir's snores coming in from the hallway.

"I will keep you safe from harm, sweet Mother, forever and always." He whispered, running his fingertips along my lips.

I frowned. He must be asleep. "Cicero." I hissed at him, trying to pull him from his hallucination without startling him too much.

He looked at me, confused. "Flower?" I could see the recognition forming behind his eyes.

"Yes." I cupped his face. "There is no one banging on the Sanctuary door."

Finally, his eyes came into focus. "Listener?" He grumbled. "Why are we under the bed?"

"I don't know." I chuckled. "You pulled us under here."

He frowned. "No. Cicero has been asleep. It's the Listener who woke poor, tired Cicero." He rubbed his eyes, releasing his arms from holding some of his weight.

I grunted as I was now enduring his full weight.

"Oh!" He returned to holding his weight back up realizing he was crushing me. "How did we get like this?" He raised an eyebrow at me.

"You drug me out of the bed and onto the floor." I sighed. "You were rambling about people banging on the Sanctuary door, I am pretty sure you were asleep."

"Hmmm…" He shifted his weight and rubbed his chin. "It is possible. Cicero has woken up under the bed before."

"Cicero!" I pushed against him. "I would like to go back to bed."

"Oh, but this is much more interesting!" He buried his face in my neck. "And you smell so nice."

"Oh, uh…" I could feel the heat return in full force now. "Thank you…" I whispered.

Cicero mumbled something into my neck, I could feel his lips move against my skin and it sent shivers down my spine. I tangled my fingers in his hair and closed my eyes. I loved the warmth of his body against mine. One of his hands moved to my waist and rested there, my body was aching, I wanted to feel his skin against mine.

"Cicero." I breathed. "I…" I didn't know what to tell him. I wanted him, badly, but I was afraid. Just the idea of being with a man made me shake uncontrollably.

"Flower doesn't need to say anything." He pulled away from my neck and smiled softly at me. "Cicero is here to keep, not to indulge." He rolled off of me. I felt both relieved, knowing that he wasn't expecting anything from me and sad at his parting.

When we climbed back into bed I scooted as close to him as I could, our backs touching one another.

"Is your side of the bed not acceptable?" He raised an eyebrow at me.

"Sorry." I averted my eyes. "I just wanted to be closer."

"Oh, well, you should have asked." He rolled over and wrapped his arms around my middle, pulling me close. After we settled he extended his bottom arm under my head while leaving his other draped over me. He sighed and nuzzled my ear. "Cicero had forgotten how much he enjoys the comfort of another."

"I didn't know sharing a bed could be so wonderful." I admitted. "Sharing always came with unwanted advances."

"Flower doesn't need to worry about that from Cicero." I could hear he was falling asleep. "Cicero is patient. Always patient."

I smiled to myself. I couldn't remember being happier.

* * *

I had finished breakfast and was sitting before Mother, waiting to see if she had anything to give me. I hadn't heard from her in a few days and that was usually a sign that I needed to pay extra attention to when she might be ready to speak.

As if on cue, she appeared as I always saw her in the coffin. She was smiling.

_Listener._ She acknowledged me.

"Mother." I bowed my head.

She shared with me the prayers that had been made, the contracts that needed to be taken.

_There is one more thing._ Her smile vanished, replaced by a serious frown._ A warning._

"A warning?"

_What once belonged was lost.  
What was found was taken.  
What was taken was found.  
What was lost was destroyed.  
Enemies will seek what was destroyed.  
Those who set themselves against darkness will find what they desire.  
Where there once were five there is now only one.  
Where there is one there will be none.  
Darkness will be fractured if what was destroyed is found.  
When the sun rises only three will remain._

I was thoroughly confused. I had no idea what I was supposed to gather from what she had said. "I don't understand, Mother."

_The future comes in waves. Sithis sees only shadows on a wall. Therefore his warnings are as a dream. _She was beginning to shimmer, to vanish. _But don't forget the words, bury them in your heart and remember._

"Mother, wait." I held out my hand. "I have a request."

_Yes?_ Her smile returned.

"May I bring Giselda, my birth mother here? She has no one to care for her. I fear for her safety."

_If it will please the Listener. Giselda has always prayed to Sithis and followed the old ways. She will be welcome here._

I sat alone on the bench. I allowed the words to turn over and over in my mind. I didn't understand what they meant. I would have to write them down, make sure to never forget them as Mother had commanded.


End file.
